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A 

JOURNEY 

TO 

PERFORMED IN 1817; 
GIVING 

AN ACCOUNT 

OF THE 

PRESENT STATE OF SOCIETY IN ITAL¥. 

AND CONTAINING 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE FINE ARTS. 



BY HENRY^ASS, 

STUDENT OF THE ROFaL ACADEMY OF ARTS, 




NEW-YORR. 



WBLISHED BY JAMES EASTBURN AND COt. 

AT THE LITERARY ROOMS, BROADWAY. 

Clayton & Kingsland, Printer's* 



181B. 



^ 









1^ 



TO 



SIR G. N. NOEL, BART. M. P. 

DEAa SIR, 

As the friend of my youth, as the patron of 
my early eiSbrts in an arduous profession, as one to 
the stores of whose mind I have been so much in- 
debted for the improvement of my own, whose uni- 
form kindness and attention are deeply engraven on 
my heart, to you, I presume to dedicate my first 
literary work. 

As the hope of your approbation has alwaj^s been 
a great stimulus to my exertions, the possessing 
it in this instance will not be the least of my re- 
wards. 

The generality of princes and nobles, if they 
were stripped of their purple and of their titles, 
and cast naked into the world, would immediately 
sink to the lowest state of society, without a hope of 
emerging from their obscurity. But your personal 
merit is independent of your fortune. Whatever 
had been your choice of hfe, by the force of your 



IV DEDICATION. 

natural talents you would have obtained, or at leaat 
would have deserved, its highest honours, if your 
invincible modesty had not counteracted the effect 

V/ith every sentiment of respect, 

I have the honour to remain. 

Dear Sir, 

Gratefully and sincerely yours, 

THE AUTHOR. 

60, Gnat Russell' Street? 

Bloomsbury Square y 

Jjpril, 1818, 



PREFACE. 



Jn offering the following work to the public, I do 
it with no small degree of diffidence ; more parti- 
cularly as I touch on subjects, and go over ground, 
which have before been so ably treated. But, as 
no publication has lately appeared respecting Italy,' 
I was anxious to communicate what had passed 
within my own knowledge, as far as regards the pre- 
sent state of society in that country ; and to admo- 
nish the future traveller, (who will often find him- 
self in the situation of Damocles, with a sword sus- 
pended over his head by a single hair,) of what 
he has to expect under the existing governments. 

That the general course of the narrative might 
not be interrupted, 1 have prefixed my observations 
on the Fine Arta, with the ambitious desire of con- 
tributing my mite towards the improvement of the 
national taste. 

A 2 



VI PREFACE. 

Having thus briefly stated the objects of the 
publication, and being satisfied that virtue will 
not be offended nor vice promoted by the peru- 
sal of my book, I dismiss it to its fate with tranquil- 
lity. 



CONTENTS. 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THE FINE ARTS. 

Inattention of writers to the subject — The cultivation of the 
Fine Arts necessary to form a great nation — Their excellence 
springs from superiority of intellect — Report on the Elgin 
marbles — The greatest empires indebted to the Arts for their 
glory — State of the Arts arises from the artist's exertions — 
Genius depressed — The artist's qualifications — An artist's re- 
flections — Artists, public benefactors — The ladies of the pre- 
sent day indebted to them — Happiness in the study of the Fine 
Arts — The Greeks — Their feelings on the subject — Object of 
the imitative arts — Analogy that exists — Extremes of the 
Arts and Sciences — Advantages of the Fine Arts over the sis- 
ter arts, poetry, and the dramatic — Instanced in the cartoons 
of Raftaelle and Greek sculpture— Virgil and Homer — Kean 
and Kemble — General knowledge arising from a study of the 
Fine Arts — Historical anecdotes — Human happiness increas- 
ed by a love of painting — The way to live, instead of exist- 
ing — On what excellence in the Fine Arts depends— Cause of 
RafFaelle's superiority — Contrasted with the Venetian school — 
Origin of the bad subjects of pictures painted by the old mas- 
ters — Paul Veronese — ^^British institution — Painting school in 
the Royal Academy — Expression and character — Versatility 
of talent injurious — English school of painting contrasted 
with those of the French and Italian — Battle of Austerlitz, by 
Gerard — The public, the only real patrons of art — The artist 
and amateur — The elevation of the Fine Arts, tlie object of all 
enlightened minds — The Elgin marbles — Their beauty and 
effect on national teiste — The Britisli fair — Government con- 



Vin CONTENT^^. 

gratulated — Public establishments— The Royal Academy — 
Its origin — Its excellence, to whom indebted — The British 
gallery — Cause of its decline — Bad system of instruction in 
priv^ate tuition — The cause — Superiority of the English 
school — Its eminent professors — England possesses sufficient 
for its advancement. Page 1 to 26. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

National prejudice against the French — Ignorance gives birth 
to it — Propensity to finding fault in English visiters — Its ori- 
gin — Their false representations of the state of things — Eng- 
lish profusion — Cheapness of living — Charges at a French ho- 
tel — Causes of the dissatisfaction of some of the English in 
France — Anecdote — Comparison of the French arid Italians 
—The state of the two countries contrasted — Modes of travel- 
ling — Safety in France — Danger in Italy — Present anarchy 
«f Italy, compared witJi Turkey — Cautions in the choice of 
companions — Qualifications necessary — Relations of travel- 
lers on that subject — To travel armed, necessary in Italy — 
The brigands — Their respect for the English — Conclusive ob- 
servations. Page 27 to 35. 



CHAPTER IL 



Object of the journey — Erigliton — Charges of the boatmen — 
Passage by sea — Anecdotes — The temporary superiority a use 
to the sea gives the sailors — Reflections — A love orl' superiority 
ftnimates mankind — Instances in the different classes of socie- 
ty — Virtue and knowledge — Intrigue and cabal — Domestic 
vipers — The weak and stupid — Rank and fortune — Affecta- 
tion of hauteur — Aped by little minds — Grand little folks— 



CONTENTS IX 

Dieppe, its general appearance — French women— Anecdote 
of an interesting girl — Feelings of an Englishman, on his first 
visit to France— General courtesy of the French — French dili- 
gences compared with English stage coaches — English rage 
for neatness — Its consequences — Comparison of the English 
and French higher and lower classes — Causesof the inferiori- 
ty of the higher classes of the French — The despotism of the 
government — Government influence, the cause of one dynas- 
ty so easily succeeding another — Rouen — Ludicrous appear- 
ance in French travelling — Anecdote — Idle tales of the 
French women — First sight of Paris — Fine character of the 
present race in France — Owing to the revolution — Emigrant 
nobility — General character of the French women. Page 36- 
to 46. 

CHAPTER IIL 

PARIS AND LYONS. 

Reasons for not entering into a lengthened detail of Paris- 
Wrong idea of the French, from publications by prejudiced 
persons — English coldness — French liveliness — Their ridicule 
of the untravelled English— Practical philosophy necessary 
in travelling — General sketch of Paris — Its magnificence — 
Edifices — Monuments — Gardens — Curiosities — Bustle of the 
streets — Amusements — Fine air and consequent sensations — 
Treats for the sensualist — Food for the intellectual — Best 
views of and in Paris — Charge of demoralization against the 
present French — Compared with the old Bourbon court — ■ 
Anecdote — Journf^y to Lyons — Ronsseaii^ — -Appearance of the 
country — Straight roads — Fontainbleau — Anecdote — Nation- 
al feeling of the French — Their enthusiastic love of Buona- 
parte — Anecdotes — Hills — Picturesque scenery — Anecdote of 
a young woman — Napoleon — Lyons — Its great men — Its an- 
cient history — Description of its present state — Situation- 
Climate — Picturesque beauties — Edifices — Bridges — Curiosi- 
ties — Celebrated women — Charms of nature — Coaclusive 
reflections. Page 47 to 00. 



X CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IV. 

CROSSING THE ALPS. 

Mountains of Savoy — Beauty of vegetation — Fruits — Grand 
scenery — Valley of Eschelles — Grotto — Duke of Savoy — 
Tunnel of Buonaparte — Chambery — Cascade — MulbeiTy 
trees — Mont Melian — The Isere — Aiguibelle — The Arc — 
Avalanches — The inhabitants afflicted with goitres — Causes — 
La Chapelle — New road — Scenery awful and grand — St, 
Jean de Maurienne — Its situation — The air cold — ^Torrents — 
Cascades— Snow-decked cliffs — Mountains well cultivated — 
Lanslebourg — Savoy women — Mont Cenis — Napoleon — The 
grandeur of his ideas and works — Grand road — Plain on Mont 
Cenis — Hannibal — Descent into Italy — Feelingson entering — 
Suza — Hercules— Hannibal — Vale of Suza — Rivoli — Fruits — 
Canals— The Dora Ptipuaria. Page 61 to 08. 

CHAPTER V. 

TURINi ALESSANDRIA, AND GENOA. 

Turin — Its fortifications — General appearance — Architecture 

Decorations — Manufactures — Climate — King of Sardinia 

Alessandria — Its citadel and bridge improved by Napoleon — 
Processions — Marengo — Novi — The Bocchetta — Fine views 
— Rich scenery — Genoa — Similitude of the inhabitants to the 
English — The Genoese, a noble race — The Sardinian govern- 
ment detested — The city like a besieged town — The soldiers 
and effigy of the king openly insulted — Treatment of the Eng- 
lish by the Sardinian goveinuient- Police and consuls Their 

manoeuvring, exactions, &c. — The English consul — Adored 

by the Genoese — His noble conduct — Genoese labourers 

Streets — Houses and palaces, general appearance — Church 
of Carignano — Bridge — Genoese mode of terminating exis- 
tence — Former power of Genoa — Genoese citizens — Their 
independent spirit — Their complaints against England's miii- 
i^ter? — Their love for the English people. Page 69 to 77. 



CONTENTS. XI 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE FEULUGCA, LEGHORN, AND PISA. 

Ceremony of taking leave — Men kissing each other — Mediter. 
ranean sea — Comforts of an Italian feulucca compared — 
Amusements and pleasing or nnpatinns — Fleas — Tormentfrom 
them — Bold shore — Mode of catching fish — Porto Fino — 
Clearness and colour of the water— Etrurian coast — Porto di 
Venere — Appenines — Fine appearance — Padrone — Napole- 
on — Believed to be dead by the Italians — Told that our min- 
isters deceive us — Land at Leghorn fatigued and disgusted — 
Leghorn a free port — Reception of the English — ^Pavement 
of the city — Coaches — Princess of Austria embarked for the 
Brazils — -Description of the ship — Its stores, smells, splendid 
decorations, and dirt — Olfactory nerves of the princess — Ger- 
man luxury — Leghorn — Its port — Its origin — Women — Ita- 
lian language — Bronze statues — Road to Pisa — Luxuriancy of 
the vines — Pisa — Its situation — Buildings — The leaning tow- 
er — A phenomenon in art — Its description — The cathedral — 
Its decorations — Former power of Pisa — The Baptistry — Its 
echo — The Campo Santo — Its ornaments — Botanical garden 
— Tower of Ugolino— Origin of Pisa. Page 78 to 86. 

CHAPTER VII. 

FROM PISA TO ROME. 

Purchase a carriage — Small oversight — Sceneiy similar to 
that of England — St. Miniato — Ancestors of Napoleon — Sien- 
na—Its situation — Fete— Tournament— Gayety of the city — 
Chanting and serenading— x\miability of the Catholics— Re- 
flections— Insignificance of the human species— Compared 
with ants to their disadvantage — Folly of human pursuits — 
Human weakness — Instanced in disputes on religion — On tlie 
mode of worship — Inhuman animosity to each other — Diver- 
sity of opinion— Reflections thereon— Insanity of human be- 



Xn CONTENTS. 

ings — Harmonious sounds — Bad road — Country infested by 
robbers — Carriage breaks down — Villany of the post-mas- 
ter — Carriage repaired — Country hilly and barren — Inns 
wretched — Carriage again breaks down — Mended — Ascend 
the mountain of Radicofani — Banditti — Postillions appeared 
of that class — Our shattered equipage — Dreary appearance-— 
Character of the country around — Chtinge horses at the top 
of the mountain — ^View grand and awful — Darkness set in — 
Descent fearful and terrific — Carriage overturned — Light- 
ning—Terrific noises — Fears of Banditti — Threats of postil- 
lions—Arrive at Aquapendente — Character of its inhabitants — 
Situation — Italian extortion — The English most subject to 
it — Natural caverns — Bolsena — The lake — Beautiful scenery 
— A celebrated wood — Montefiascone — Its situation — Pecu- 
liarity in Italian scenery — Muscatel wine — Viterbo — Paved 
with lava — Carriage again overturned — The country a desert 
— Boccano-rEnthusiastic feelings on the first sight of Rome. 
Page 87 to 97. 

CHAPTER VIIL 

ANCIENT ROME. 

Arrival — Directions for becoming acquainted with its localities- 
Best points of view — Emotions and disappointment on find- 
ing Rome a modern city — Ancient Rome has disappeared — 
Causes of its destruction — Wretched feeling of the Farnese 
and other families — Works of destruction seen — Modern 
Rome a disgrace to the local beauties of the surrounding hills 
— Contrast — Principal olijects of attraction — The Capitol- 
Reflections when seated on the tower — Ancient state com- 
pared with the present — The foiiim — Grand and interesting 
in ruins — Palatine hill — Tarpeian rock — Tiber — Ruins of the 
forum — Admirable spirit of the Frencli — Pillar of Phocias — 
Dutchess of Devonshire — Original pavement ofthe forum— • 
' Enjoyment in treading on it — Depth of the niins — Rome in 
tk^ hands of the French or English — Triumphal arches — 



CONTENTS. XIII 

Arch of Constantine — Preservers of art — Elgin and Buona. 
parte — Constantine, a brutal and tasteless plunderer — His 
wretched vanity and mad ambition — His destruction of the 
arch of Trajan — The Coliseum — Its structure, size, and ruins 
— Its destruction — By whom accomplished — Original magni- 
ficence of the forum — Ruins to the walls — Coriolanus — Baths 
of Caracalla — Present state — Hercules of Glycon and Far- 
nesian bull found there — Baths of Titus — Present state — Lao- 
coon found there — Walls — Aqueducts — Mausoleum of Caius 
Cestius — Aventine hill — Circus Maximus — Bape of the Sa- 
bines — Mount Palatine — Romulus and Remus — Present state 
of the seat of infant Rome — The Pantheon — Feelings on en- 
tering — Its beauty and excellent preservation — Its /former 
state — Busts of celebrated men — Portico — Origin of the word 
pantheon. Page 98 to 109. 

CHAPTER IX. 

MODERN KOME. 

Its description, site, and space — Present celebrity-^St. Peter's— 
Situated on the Vatican mount — Its appearance on approach- 
ing — Its magnitude and beauty of decoration — Its want of 
power to fill the mind — Its marbles, mosaics, &,c. — Ascent to 
the top — Extensive view from the cross — Gothic taste of St 
Peter's — Its littleness of style, when compared with ancient 
Roman grandeur — The Vatican — Its wonders — The Sistine 
chapel — Michael Angelo Buonorotti — The chambers of Raf- 
faelle — The state of their divine works — Negligence and 
want of proper feeling in the Papal government — Gallery of 
sculpture — The Apollo — The Laocoon — Badly seen — Con- 
trasted with their situation in Paris — State of feeling in Rome 
as regards the works of art — Indifference of the inhabitants— 
The situation of the chef d'ceuvres of Raft'aelle, Domcnichino, 
and Guercino — Circular colonnade of St. Peter's — The castle 
of St. Angelo — Mausoleum of Hadrian — The bridge of St, 
Angelo — The Tiber — The Campidoglio — Its appearance — 

b 



X»V CO?sTENTS. 

Our disa])pointments compared with Father Paiirs — The 
sculpture — The paintings — Tlieir neglected state — Antonine 
tolumn — Its situation — To whom erected — Its state — The 
Trajan column — Good taste of the French — The forum of 
Trajan — Character of Roman sculpture — Farnese palace — 
Paintings of Annibal Carrachi — Dirty state of the palace — 
Fleas — Contemptible appearance of the buildings — Feelings 
excited — Villa Farnesiana — Galatea and Cupid and Psyche, 
by Ralfaelle — Their loveliness — Surrounded by a state of 
desolation — The man who shows them, compared with the 
one at Hampton Court — The sewers — Arch of Janus, and 
?raall one of Septimus Severus — Basso relievoes — Temple of 
Minerva Medica- — The Catacombs — St. Paul's — Another in- 
famous spoliation of Constantine's. PagellO to 119. 

CHAPTER X. 

MODERN ROME : EXHIBITIONS. 

In the mausoleum of Augustus — Music, fire works, and bull 
baits — The latter a harmless amusement — Conversaziones 
and concerts — Marquis Canova — Thunder storm — Streets — 
Fountains — Quirinal hill — The Pope's residence — His palace 
guard — His appearance and character — Mode of salutation — 
Monte Cavallo — Statues of Castor and Pollux — Piazza d'Es- 
pagna — Pincean hill — -Promenade — Piazza del Populo — 
Three principal streets — II Corso — A drive for carriages — 
Celebrated house for ices, he. — Piazza Navona — Place of as- 
semblage for the inhabitants when inundated — Anecdote — 
Il.nglishmen and dogs — Bridges — Horatius Codes — The Jews 
— State of their quarter — Uncleanliness of Rome — The Ro- 
man flea — Toleration — Churches at all times open — Compar- 
ed with St. Paul's in London — Desperate state of the country 
— Character of the Pope's soldiers — The escort necessary — 
Cautions in joui'neying to Naples. Page 120 to 126. 



COxN TENTS, V^ 

CHAPTER XT. 

ROME TO NAPLES, 

S])leiidid recoileclions on classic ground— Dciugers of the road- 
Horace — His narration — Appian Way — Its ancient descrip- 
tion — Via Campania — Via Tusculum — Ancient monuments 
— Claudian aqueduct — Horatii and Curiatii — Mountains of 
Albano — Alba Longa — By whom built — Sepulchre of Ascani 
us — Castle Gondolfo — Milo and Clodius — Lake of Albano-- 
Its estuary — A Roman work at the time of the siege of Veii— - 
Gensano— Carlo Maratti— Nemi— Lake of Nemi — The mir 
rorofDiana — Civita Lavinia — iEneas — Antoninus the Pious- 
Celebrated pictures— Corioli — scene of the exploits related in 
Virgil's JEne'id — Velletri — Family of Augustus — Residence hi 
the emperors — Dwelling place of Barbone the robber — Ci/ 
tenia — St. Paul's — Tres Taberna? — The brigands — Assassina- 
tion — Diabolical system — Mode of operation— Negligence of 
the restored government, contrasted with the excellence of 
that of the French — Imbecility of the present authorities in 
Italy — The murdered man — Another murder the same niglit 
— Particulars — Advantage taken by the guards and postillions 
— Torre del Tre Ponti — Poraptine marshes — Origin — The La- 
cedemonians — Goddess Feronia — Populous state of the dis- 
trict formerly — Description of the marshes — Ciesar's proje^/i 
for draining them — Augustus — Trajan — Sixtus V.— Pius VL 
—Cicero — xVntium — its temples — Apollo Belvidere and Gla- 
diator found there — Residence of Circe — Uh'sses — Terracina, 
the ancient Anxur — Horace's description — Douaniers of the 
Roman state — Barrack formed in the rock^ — Tower of tlie 
confines — Genial climate — Grotto — Sejanus and Tiberius — 
Fondi — Wines — Neapolitan douaniers — Their disappointment 
— Their roguery — Cautions — Itri — Wretchedness of the in- 
habitants — Tomb of Cicero — Fountain of Artacia — Uiysses — 
Mola di Gaieta, the ancient Formise — The Lcslrigons — Ovid 
— The women of Mola di Gaieta — Cicero — Formianum — Gai- 
eta — Its foundation by iEneas — Mausoleum of Munatius Plau- 
cus— Anecdote — Temple of Mcrcuiy — Curious rod: — CurigU- 



^Vl CONTENTS. 

ano — Minturnum — CaiusMarius-Falcniia— Its wiiie?--Fal»iu.s' 
and Hannibal — Romans and Sainnites — Improvement of .scc- 
nery-Capua — Its origin — Roman cruelty — Destiuction of Ca- 
pua — Aversa — Its ancient celebrity — The country luxurious — 
Approach to Naples — Its noise — ^What compared with. Pag'e 
1 27 to 143. 



CHAPTER XIT. 



Disappointment — Splendour and wretchedness—Streets of Na- 
ples — ^-Description — Heterogeneous assemblage — Noises — 
(.'onfusion — Dangers — Importunities — Chaos — Good humour 
— Misery anduncleanliness — Fine attire — Vermin — Delicious 
fruits — Leisure moments — How employed — Naples the cli- 
max of dirtiness — Pleasures for the curious — Deliglits for the 
entomologist — Hotels — Essence of lavender — Glorious cli- 
mate — Degraded inhabitants — A delightful residence for the 
apathetic — Origin of all evils, a bad government — Soldiers — 
Their unlimited power and dastardly conduct — Picking pock- 
rU — Anarchy — Corruption and inefficiency of the govern- 
ment — Instances — The king — His appearance — His good na- 
ku'e and want of principle — His lady — Naples, the seat of 
hixury — Its origin and history — Napoleon — Murat — His ex- 
cellent character — Much regretted — The Studio — Hercules 
of Gly'con — Bronze equestrian statues — Pictures — Models — 
Cartoons of Cupid and Psyche — Colossal statue of Buona- 
))ar(e — Equestrian statue of Murat — Statues in San Severo — 
Their bad taste — TauroFarnese — Its story — The story-tellers 
— Description of them and their auditories — Beautiful groups 
— Punchinello — Theatre San Carlo — Gaudiness of decora- 
tion — Destroys the effect of the scene — Anecdote — Superiori- 
ty of the French theatres — Mode of lighting, contrasted with 
our own — Contemptible performances — Vetturini — Coffee- 
houses — Ices — Beggars — Dresses of the lower classes — The 
hair of the women — The Avomen of Naples pot beautiful — 



CONTENTS. XVll 

Luxurious bathing — Tlie Lazaroni — Deliciousness of the cli- 
mate — Description of the bay — Reflections — True happiness 
is in virtue. Page 144 to 157. 

CHAPTER Xlir. 

VESUVIUS, HERCULANEUM, AND POMPEII, 

Progress to Portici — Accident — Vesuvius — Its grandeur during 
the time of an eruption — Ascent by night — The hermitage — 
Friar John — Further progress described — Difficulty of ascent 
— Approach to the crater — Heat of the ground — The explo- 
sions — Magnificence of the sight — Human power contempti- 
ble in comparison — The flowing of the lava — Its description 
— Excessive heat — A golden shower — Dante's Inferno — Li- 
quid fire — Probable danger — Sunrise — Fine view — Laugha- 
ble descent — Layers of lava — History of Vesuvius — Its vari- 
ous eruptions — Museum of Portici — Paintings and curiosities 
— Descrent into Herculaneum — Description — Impression of a 
man's face in the lava — Narrowness of mind which conducts 
the excavations — Destruction of Herculaneum — Its ancient 
history — Pompeii, a fairy city — Sensations in exploring-— 
Temples— Amphitheatre — Forum — Tribune — Mansion of Sal- 
lust — Streets, shops, and tombs — Eftect of enchantment 
Overwhelming of Pompeii. Page 158 to 173. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

EXCURSIONS, TO POZZUOLI AND BAIiE. 

Mountains of Posilipo — Grotto— Its origin and description- 
Tomb of Virgil — Ancient laurel — Territory of Pozzuoli — Its 
former and present character— Lago d'Agnano — Frogs — Hy- 
pothesis — Baths — Grotto of the dog — Its description and ef- 
fects on various animals — Cause — Solfatara — Hercules — Poz= 
zuoli — Its origin — Tombs discovered— St. Paul — Amphithea- 
tre — St. Januarius — Labyrinth of Daedalus — Cicero — Bridge 

b2 



XVIII CONTENTS. 

of Caligula — Description — The mad emperor — Monte Niiovo 
— Return to Naples — Sail to Baiae — Mediterranean sea compar- 
ed with Chelsea Reach — Reflections — Our situation compar- 
ed with that of Ulysses — School of Virgil — Monk and the 
fishing-rod — Captain Grose's definition — Land of the Cim- 
merians — Baiae — Marcellus and the Princess Charlotte — Their 
similar fate — Roman voluptuaries — Roman cement — Tem- 
ples — Echo — Baths pf Nero — Their description — Hell — The 
Sibyl's cavern — Its present appearance similar to Virgil's de- 
scription — Ulysses — iEneas — The Lake Avernus — The river 
Acheron — ^Dante's description — The Elysian fields — Ancient 
Cumae — Temple of Daedalus — Present appearance of the 
country — Cape Mesinus — Pliny — Falernian wine — One of the 
Cyclops, Page 174 to 190. 



CHAPTER XV. 

RETURN TO ROME. 

Reflections — Ceremony of hiding watches, &lc. — Pomptine 
marshes — Danger in passing — Dismal appearances — Drowsi- 
ness and suffocation — Feelings and terrors — Shrieking noises 
compared to the Furies of Orestes — Awfulness of situation — 
Sudden alarm — The brigands attacked and overpowered — 
The banditti's cavern — Description of its inmates — The hovel 
explored — Consternation of travellers — Their laughable ap- 
pearances — Brigands made prisoners — Observations — Travel- 
lers robbed and stripped. Page 191 to 197. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

ROME : EXCURSION TO TIVOLI. 

The Pope — Excursion to Tivoli — The Anio — Lake of Solfatara 
—Its ameU— Tomb of Plautiu:;— The villa of Hadrian— Its 



CONTENTS, ma: 

former magnificence — Its ruins — Hadrian — His taste display- 
ed — Tivoli — Temple of Vesta — Temple of the Sibyls — Gene- 
ral Miolis — Grotto of Neptune— Scene of magnificence — In- 
terior of the grotto — Anecdote — Character given the English 
— Beautiful appearances — Loveliness of climate— Romantic 
scenery — Producing luxurious repose of mind—Villas ot 
ancient celebrated men — Fine view — Villa of Moscenas — 
Cascades — Lucien Buonaparte — Latium — The country of the 
Sabines — Frascati — The brigands and the Pope's guard — 
Return to Rome — Temple of Vesta — Theatre of Marc^llus — 
Description-— Portico of Octavia — Place of exhibition for the 
ancient painters — Mount Janiculum — Signor Camucini — 
Begging friars — Their impudence and greediness — The Pope's 
guards join the brigands — -La;st sight of Rome. Page 198 to 
204, 

CHAPTER XVII. 

DEPARTURE FROM ROME. 

Thoughts on leaving — Escape of robbers — Civita Castellan a— 
Ancient city of Veii — Its site — Siege — Roman soldiers re- 
ceive pay — Otricoli — Fine viev^^— Former state of the road — 
The Appenines — Beautiful scenery — Narni — Its romantic 
situation — Antiquities — Terni — Tacitus — Monte Somraa — 
Plains of Italy — Ovid — Story of Phaeton — Spoleto — Its cele- 
brity — Hannibal — The Clitumnus — Its ancient character — 
White oxen — Virgil — Trevi — Romantic situation — Foligno — 
Skeggia — Mountain rent asunder — Bridge — The Metaurus — 
Defeat of Asdrubal — Flaminian way cut through a mountain 
— Urbino — Fano — Anecdotes of the irritability of the Italians 
—The Adriatic— Fevers— Death of Mr. Woodforde— Tri- 
umphal arch — Pessaro — Its appearance — The Adriatic — 
Cuttlefish — Fruit — Princess of Wales— Republic of San Ma- 
rino — Its long existence — Its poverty and consequent inde- 
pe-ndence — Rimini — Triumphal arch— Italian taste — Caesar 



XXll CONTEx^TS. 

CHAPTER XXL 

MILAN. 

Its ancient state; made the seat of empire by Dioclesian — Its 
remains and present state — Made the capital of Italy by Na- 
poleon — The cathedral — Compared with St. Peter's — Rescued 
from destruction and finished by Napoleon — Its grandeur 
and decorations — Charles Borromeo — Lodge of the Emperor 
— Arena of Buonaparte — Its description — Triumphal arch to 
Napoleon — Its grandeur and tfxcellence of workmanship — 
The Brera — Paintings — Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci 
— False assertions respecting it — Theatre La Scala — Its ap- , 
pearance — Excellence of the performances — Promenades — 
Coftee-houses — Streets — General appearance of Milan — - 
Complaints of the people — French and Austrian governments 
contrasted — Inhabitants^ — Women — 'Treatment of the English 
— Anecdote to the glory of England's national character — 
Buonaparte — Money still coined bearing his effigy — Statues 
of himself and family publicly exhibited — Justice to Italy. 
Page 245 to 251. 

CHAPTER XXIL 

PASS^AGE OF THE SIxMPLON. 

Farewell to Italy — Its present state and character of its inhabi- 
tants — Reflections — Riches the source of trouble and vexa- 
tion — True happiness in poverty, with a mhid free — Road to 
the Simplon — The jj^seno — Hannibal and Scipio — Lago 
Maggiore — Statue of CUfcles Borromeo — The Borromean 
Isles — Anecdote of Buonaparte — Fariola — Marble quarry — 
Domo D'OsoIa — The defiles — Magnificent bridge — Gallery — 
Grand Scenery — Mode of blowing up the rocks — Appear- 
ances grand and beautiful — Column for the arch of Napoleon 
— The inhabitants express their love of Buonaparte — Scene- 
ry producing emotions of awe and delight — The gallery of 
Gondo — Scene of prodigious grandeur — The gallery of Al- 



CONTENTS. XXIU 

gojjy — Ascent to the clouds — Beautiful appearances— Village 
of the Simplon — Excellent fare — Pretty women — Derivation 
of the Simplon — Lake— Snowy region s-^The glaciers — De- 
scent — The old route — The Hospice — Kindness to wayworn 
travellers— Valley of the Rhone—Brigg— Works of the Sim- 
plon. Page 252 to 259. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

VALLEY or THE RHONE : GENEVA. 

Brigg — Its inhabitants — Travellers' complaints — Curious con- 
tests — ^English colonel — Valley of the Rhone — Sion — Its 
cleanliness and pretty women — Scenery — Fruits — Nature 
ever lovely — Man only destroys its beauty — The Rhone- 
Lake of Geneva — Geneva — Its celebrity and situation — Eng- 
lish women — Manufactories — Inns — Departure — ^Jura moun- 
tains — Dijon — Mont Blanc — Arrival home. Page 260 to 265. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

CONCLUSIVE OBSERVATIONS. 

The governments of Italy — Compared with that of France — 
The absurdity of legitimacy as applied to governments — The 
objects for which governments are instituted — The agree- 
ment equally binding — The people's power to reject — Inca- 
pacity of the governments of Italy — Instances — Governments 
of the present day characterized — Advantages of the French 
government in Italy, and consequent improvement of the 
state of society — Lighting the streets — Modesty of the legiti- 
mates — Fearful state of Italy — Fine qualities of the Italians — ■ 
The French — Origin of our hostility — Anticipation — French 
nobleness of heart — Anecdote — ^French vivacity — Anecdote 
—Servants-Politeness and dexterity- Anecdotes-England an 
Englishman's boast. Page 266 to 274. 

Directions to travellers. Page 276 to 28L 



FRELIMINARY REMARKS 



ON THE 



PINE ARTS. 



That the history of the arts has been less cultivated 
than that of arms and politics, is a general and just 
complaint ; but to which writers will seldom be in- 
cHned to pay attention, because it is always an easier 
task to relate wars and negotiations, debates and 
battles, than to describe the gradual and almost im- 
perceptible progress of genius and taste, in works of 
elegance and beauty. 

In this age of refinement, when, from the number 
of literary publications, accumulated stores of know- 
ledge are laid open, and rendered of comparatively 
easy access to the inquisitive mind, we cannot but 
congratulate ourselves that the good sense and spirit 
of the people have overcome the bigotry of govern- 
ments, whose interest has been thought to consist in 
keeping them in a state of ignorance. 

There is not any thing which more unequivocally 
proves the great progress of civilization, and im- 
provement in the national intellect, than the general 
nnd increasing feeling of all ranks in favour of the 



Fine Arts. In England, the arts are but in their in- 
fancy ; but we begin now to feel what constitutes 
the true glory of an empire. We are now sensible, 
that merely to be a warlike nation, is to possess a 
rank little above barbarians ; and that to be truly 
great, we must cultivate the mind. 

God, in his formation of man, stamped on him his 
own image : and as in form we are superior to every 
other animal, so likewise has he endowed us with 
mental powers, which, the more they are cultivated, 
the nearer we resemble Himself. Intellect is what 
raises one man above another ; and it is by a combi- 
nation of the intellectual powers of many men, that 
one nation, or one age, is rendered superior to ano- 
ther. Excellence in the Fine Arts springs from a 
highly cultivated mind ; and, if we refer to the an- 
cient ages of glory of Greece and Rome, or in mo- 
dern times, to that of the Medici, we shall find, that 
the height of excellence to which the imitative arts 
had arrived in those periods was what conferred on 
them so much distinction. 

Every refined mind must be delighted in the peru- 
sal of the late report of the House of Commons on 
the subject of the Elgin marbles ; and it is a pleasing 
reflection, that by the co-operation of the public at 
large and the artists — the one fostering that talent 
which forms so large a portion of the integral of a 
great empire, the others exerting their energies to 
the utmost to deserve such encouragement — Britain 
may one day stand forward as proudly pre-eminent 
for her higher intellectual attainments in the Fine 



Arts, as she is at present superior to other nations 
in her commerce, arms, and resources. 

How much all nations have been indebted to the 
Fine Arts for their celebrity is not Stufficiently con- 
sidered. Babylon we first became acquainted with 
from its walls, its temples, and its hanging gardens ; 
Eg3^pt, from its pyramids, mausoleums, and obelisks ; 
Greece, from its paintings, sculptures, temples, and 
the exquisite taste and judgment with which every 
thing was executed ; Rome, by its noble and magnifi- 
cent structures^ — monuments of its former grandeur. 
Take these avvay, and what knowledge should we 
have of them, farther than what we have of th.e 
Scythians, Huns, or any other race of barbarians ? 
Indeed, to say by whom the arts were first culti- 
vated, is to inquire what nation was the most an- 
cient ; to say where they attained their haghest per- 
fection, is to show which was the most refined ; to 
say where they were least known, is only to point 
out which was the most barbarous. Such is the con- 
nexion of the Fine Arts with refinement of mind, 
that high attainment in the one springs from the cul- 
tivation of the other, and this cultivation is what 
constitutes the true glory of an empire. 

The arts in England have arrived at their present 
state with but a small portion of public encourage- 
ment, and principally by the artists' own exertions. 
Government has been too busily employed in war 
and bloodshed, to extend its fostering hand to their 
^id. But when we find our representatives joining 
with the artists, and speaking the language of the 



late report, thus inculcating a true feeling on the 
public, may we not hope, that in England shall be 
another age of glory — a rival to those of ancient 
Greece and Rome ! 

However greatly this age may have improved on 
the last, there is still much to be done to overcome 
the vitiated taste of the multitude ; and we have to 
lament that men of talent are often compelled from 
necessity to yield to the prevailing bias, and paint 
subjects unworthy of them. A man of superior 
powers, inspired with the enthusiasm of genius, can 
never be discouraged ; yet, a want of judgment in 
those who have it in their power, or who profess to 
encourage art, may render abortive his utmost exer- 
tions. He may feel within himself the proud con- 
sciousness of superiority, while sharing the fate 
of Homer,* Milton, and others of glorious memo» 
ry ; but it is a lamentable thing that such men 
should incur the risk of sinking into the grave unre- 
warded, and that it should be left to after ages to 
appreciate their merit, to the eternal disgrace of the 
one in which they lived. 

Few people are aware of the requisites to form an 
artist, or of the variety of studies necessary in an 
historical or poetical composition. A knowledge of 
anatomy and perspective, correctness of drawing, 
which can only be obtained by long practice and an 
eye critically nice, form but the groundwork. Por- 
traiture, landscape, and architecture, it is frequently 
necessary to combine with beauty of form and appro- 
priate expression. But while the hand is made 



obedient to the will, the mind, on which all superior 
excellence depends, must be cultivated. He must 
have a knowledge of the history of mankind, with an 
intimate acquaintance with the laws, customs, cha- 
racter, and costume of nations, individually and col- 
lectively. He must be conversant with chronology 
and the heathen mythology, to enable him thorough- 
ly to comprehend classic and poetic history. He must 
understand the laws of nature ; in fact, he must have 
within the grasp of his mind the universal frame. ^ 
To these, and many other requisites that may be 
acquired, must be added an endowment of nature — - 
a susceptibility of feeling which renders the pos- 
sessor alive to every passion ; for without this it is 
impossible to excite interest in others, and to im- 
prove, or convey instruction to mankind, which is 
the true end of art. Such is the character of the 
artist ; and to show the feelings which animate hina 
generally, I may here add the reflections of one on 
a summer's day, whose study was situated on high, 
and which, from being surrounded by the busts of 
the heathen deities, was called Olympus, 

^' While the inhabitants of the lower world are 
oppressed with heat, seated on Olympus I enjoy a 
continual spring. In my elevation, I am fanned by 



* In the beautiful mythology of the Greeks, they have de- 
seribed such a character in Prometheus, stealing fire from hea- 
ven ; meaning, that by the cultivation of his powers, he ena- 
bled himself to possess the qualities of the gods, and to animate 

mankind. 

1% 



every fragrant breeze that is wafted through the at- 
mospheric region of the gods. Temperance, Taste, 
and Literature, are my handmaids : Temperance 
offers me a cup filled from the limpid stream which 
never fevers the brain. Taste and Literature furnish 
me with food which never cloys. Here, then, is 
happiness which but few enjoy. With what tran- 
quillity of mind I look on the bustle of the crowd ; 
the petty jealousies, the haughty littleness, which 
excite contempt ; the pert carriage, the pedantic 
strut, which excite laughter ; all, all, appear like 
so many insignificant bubbles in a stream, they be- 
come inflated, burst, and are no longer seen." 

Those who refine the public taste, says Dr. John- 
son, are public benefactors ; and artists have con- 
tributed more to it than any other class of men. — 
Suppose we select the least of these improvements, 
for instance. Dress. Although our ablest writers, 
Addison, Steele, and others, have for the last cen- 
tury aimed at the introduction of a more correct 
taste, and have decried the gross absurdities which 
prevailed in dress, they did not suggest a better. — 
' This was reserved for the Fine Arts ; and to its 
Professors are we indebted for the present elegant 
and tasteful costume of the ladies. From Reynolds 
we may date the establishment of the English school, 
and to him and those who followed him, England 
owes the refinement of its taste. In the eye, as in 
the mind, there is an intuitive perception of what is 
right, which produces a love of harmony and of good 
order, or what is called natural. Simplicity is the 



character of nature, and from simplicity springs ele- 
ganqe and beauty. Custom will often reconcile us 
to error, but the moment truth is presented to our 
eyes or minds, we are struck by the contrast, and 
gradually reject the delusion that betrayed us. So 
it has been in this instance ; artists were obliged in 
portraiture to copy what they saw ; but, when they 
executed any pictures of imagination, they displayed 
in them what their own refined taste suggested. — 
They showed that nature wanted no such decoration 
as furbelows, flounces, and hoops ; or powder^ 
patches, pomatum, toupees, &c. but that she was, 
" when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most." These pic- 
tures, when exhibited side by side, struck home to 
every spectator, and the revolution in dress was al- 
most instantaneous. The birth of the Arts in Eng- , 
land forms a new era in our history, and when we 
consider the benefits that have already arisen from 
their cultivation, we shall do well to carry this cul- 
tivation still higher, that their influence may be more 
generally felt. 

'' Those who make painting their study enjoy na- 
ture beyond description. It is to be regretted, that 
artists, whose particular province is description, 
whose minds are educated in the contemplation of 
nature, and whose faculty of observation is constant- 
ly alive, should not be induced to indulge the world 
more than they do with their writings. Every ob- 
ject which presents itself affords them fresh food for 
meditation, and is an inexhaustible spring from which 
^hey store up beauty in their minds. Happy in the 



8 

stlidy of nature, they pass their lives in admiration 
of the works of God. They receive a pleasure 
from their reflections, unknown to uncultivated 
minds, and they rise from the contemplation of na- 
ture to nature's God. Indeed a love for the Fine 
Arts excludes all grosser passions from the soul. — 
Taste is the angel which drives the money-changers 
out of the temple of the mind, and leaves it in pos- 
session of every human virtue." Such is the senti- 
ment of the intellectual beautiful produced by the 
cultivation of a taste for the Fine Arts. 

The Greeks, whose refinement of feeling is a 
constant subject of our eulogium and of our imitation, 
considered an artist as a national ornament, a public 
benefactor, whom all were bound to honour and 
reward. Their first citizens sought for honour in 
the cultivation of the several branches of the profes- 
sion, as among others may be instanced in Socrates, 
who devoted himself to sculpture. Though the Fine 
Arts were considered under the superintendence 
of Apollo and the Muses, yet painting was by the 
ancients particularly appropriated to Minerva, as 
adding the qualities of wisdom to those of genius, and 
uniting to the most finished dexterity of art, the 
most profound sagacity of science. 

The object of the imitative arts is to instruct and 
improve mankind ; and it is from painting and sculp- 
ture possessing this power to a greater degree than 
any other art, that has conferred on them the appel- 
lation of divine. Their excellence is founded upon 
the same principles, and is guided by the same rules, 



as other noble eftbrts of the human mind, and which 
ought to influence all our actions, the avoiding of 
extremes ; these and the analogy that exists in the 
various arts and sciences may be thus shown. In 
painting, sculpture, and architecture, the extremes 
are incorrectness and affectation ; in poetry, insipidity 
and bombast ; in music, monotony or redundancy of 
sound ; in the dramatic art, tameness or ranting and 
pomposity ; in our behaviour, vulgarity or affecta- 
tion ; these words being synonymous, will tend to 
show that all are founded on the same principles. 

'« A picture is a rante pnem."*^ The representa- 
tion of things has at all times a greater effect than 
the description. Men and women, portrayed in 
their natural form, with that exquisite feeling, the 
result of virtuous actions, beaming through their ex- 
pressive countenances, must convey to the mind of 
the spectator a most sublime idea of virtue, which 
can render bodies like themselves so interesting and 
beautiful. On the other hand, to see the same 
forms, with the appalling expression of a guilty con- 
science, excites terror at a deviation from the path 
of rectitude, and pity to think that beings endowed 
w^ith such powers, should have made so erroneous a 
choice. 

What person possessing a refined mind, but must 
experience these sensations in contemplating the 
cartoons of Raffaelle ! but must feel awed by the 



Mutum est pictura poema. 



10 

calm dignity of the denunciator Paul, appalled by 
the agony and deathlike horror displayed in Ananias, 
and experience all those grateful emotions on view- 
ing the countenance of Christ, which exhibits the 
greatest benevolence and a godlike serenity, where 
he delivers the keys to Peter ? 

Poetry, in its description of the various passions, 
is often compelled (to produce the desired eifect) 
to resort to measures which give a meanness to the 
character it has before endeavoured to ennoble ; fof 
excess of passion always betrays a weakness which 
is often inconsistent with the character degcribecl. — 
Among many, I shall instance the horrible shriek 
which Virgil gives his Laocoon, that has this effect ; 
and although this may be an appropriate circumstance 
for poetry, as perhaps it would have been impossi- 
ble to have made the proper impression of the agony 
of body and mind, had it not been so strongly ex- 
pressed, yet it is inconsistent with the dignity of his 
character. 

The sculptors of the Laocoon have so ennobled and 
dignified the most ungovernable of all our passions, 
bodily pain, that we become in love with misery ; 
it affords a lesson of fortitude more impressive than 
any taught in the schools of philosophy ; and we al- 
most long for misfortune to give us an opportunity 
of bearing it in so godlike a manner. 

It is urged that nothing can exceed Homer's de- 
scription of a battle, or the feehngs excited by the 
perusal of it ; but, does the contemplation, and the 
becoming familiar with scenes of war and bloodshed 



improve our humanity or elevate our minds witli 
godlike qualities ? No ! it rather degrades us by- 
brutalizing our feelings. War must be as hateful in 
the sight of God, as it is destructive to man ! 

There is a meanness attached to expression in the 
human countenance, arising from bodily pain ; and 
if subjects of this aifecting nature are represented 
with beauty and dignity^ we may well suppose that 
more temperate passions exhibit the greatest mild- 
tiess and benignity. It is this superiority of expres- 
sion, united to their correct knowledge of form, ana- 
tomy, and proportion, with a beautiful simplicity, 
which has raised the Grecian artists to their deserv- 
ed and enviable height, and in which excellencies 
they have never yet been equalled. 

It may be urged, that the dramatic art possesses 
greater powers over the mind, from characters be- 
ing represented by persons having speech and mo- 
tion. This, no doubt, has a powerful eiFect ; but 
how seldom do we see (excepting in satires on 
fan;iiliar life) the character in form stamped on the 
actor. Rarely do we see a king, never a hero 
in form and countenance, and gods are out of the 
question. Even Kemble and Kean, the greatest 
actors perhaps that our stage ever had to boast of, 
cannot get over this, as Nature has not given them 
a form equal to the characters they would represent. 
It has been observed, that deficiency of form is com- 
pensated by excellence of acting ; but this is rather 
acquiescing in what cannot be remedied, than esta- 
blishing the position that form is of no consequence. 



12 

What 1 have now said is not with a view to depre- 
ciate poetry, the dramatic art, or still less the merit 
of the actors ; for excellence in body as well as 
mind is hardly to be expected : but I am only speak- 
ing relatively to the great end of the imitative arts, 
the instruction and improvement of mankind ; and 
mean to infer, that the painter and sculptor, having 
the power to unite beauty of form with appropriate 
expression, although in inanimate representation, 
they carry the story they would tell, and the lesson 
they would impress, more home to the mind of the 
spectator. 

The Fine Arts being connected with and embra- 
cing every other art and science, the advantages de- 
rived from the study of them to every one may be 
fully exemplified. It will be found, that they who 
have a taste for the Fine Arts, have a taste for, and 
are often proficients in music, astronomy, poetry, 
optics, &c. ; consequently the cultivation of this 
taste leads them to universal knowledge. It is this 
which makes artists the companions of kings. Leo- 
nardo da Vinci died in the arms of Francis the First ; 
the Emperor Charles, in stooping to take up a brush 
which Titian let fall, declared that such merit as his 
was deserving of being waited on by emperors ; and 
our Harry the Eighth, gross as his education and 
despotic power had made him, exclaimed that out 
of seven peasants he could make as many lords, but 
not one Holbein. I mention these historical anec- 
dotes, in the hope that they may induce every one 
to strive and become acquainted with an art from 



13 

which such benefits are derived ; which tends more 
to the civilization of mankind, and to the improve- 
ment of the human mind, than any other. 

The principles of art are the principles of na- 
ture, and in the knowledge of them we are more 
capable of real enjoyment, and become consequent- 
ly more happy. It has been observed, that the 
great object of our endeavours in a world of trouble 
and inquietude should be to awaken those per- 
ceptions and those tastes, upon which the enjoy- 
ment of every kind of merit in art depends, and 
thus open to ourselves new avenues of pleasure ; 
and if every one possessed a fine feeling for the 
charms of painting, the sum of human happiness 
would be greatly increased. 

Let those pursuing the Fine Arts as a study, 
either professionally or for amusement, be assure(J 
that when they have attained a mechanical dexterity 
of hand ; when they have acquired a relish for the 
higher excellencies of art ; when they have become 
acquainted with all the brilliant examples that have 
preceded them ; when once they begin to converse 
and associate intimately, through the medium of 
their books, with all those noble beings who, from 
their intellectual exertions, have conferred honour 
on the human race, and benefited mankind ; and 
can transport themselves back to the ages in which 
they lived, to the spots where they have dwelt, 
and can enter into their ideas, — it is then that they 
will feel that they really live, and that their pre- 
vious life hag been but a state of negative existence 



14 

—and thus shall be given '' to corporeal essence 
life and sense, and every stately function of the 
soul." 

Having spoken thus far, I will now endeavour to 
show more particularly oa what the excellence of 
the Fine Arts depends. 

Correctness of form is the first thing we look for 
in a picture ; on that all its various excellencies are 
built, without that it is a nothing. It is to the 
painter and sculptor who represent bodies, what 
language is to the poet and historian who describe 
actions. Expression and a proper conception of 
character are the next requisites, and are insepara- 
bly connected with the preceding ones; for it is 
impossible to represent either without correctness 
of drawing. These, then, form the fundamental 
principles of art ; and if a picture possessing these 
qualities be deficient in every other requisite, it still 
ranks high as an intellectual production ; but with- 
out these, though glowing with the colouring of a 
Titian or a Rubens, united to the effect of a Rem- 
brandt, it can be termed merely a splendid piece of 
furniture, captivating the eye with the most vivid 
colours, but disgusting the mind by the most un- 
faithful forms. 

What has ranked Raffaelle as the prince of 
painters, but the sentiment and expression — those 
rays of intellect — which are displayed in all his 
works ? He has no gaudy colours, no brilhant 
effects to recommend his pictures, and yet every 
one possessing a refined mind allows him the pre- 



15 

eminence. Contrast his works with those of the 
Venetian school. Most of the pictures of Paul 
Veronese, and others of the same class, have 
neither sentiment, character, nor correctness of 
costume. Their subjects are in general monkish 
legends, which we neither know nor care to kno^v. 
When we look at these pictures, which display such 
extraordinary powers in composition, harmony of co- 
lour, aerial perspective, and execution, we cannot 
but regret, that men who were endowed with such 
talents, should have been led so far from the great end 
of art, as to have wasted their time in producing what 
can be considered by the general eye as merely 
pieces of furniture. 

It is to be recollected, that the arts were pa- 
tronised by the Roman Catholic clergy, by whom 
painting was made subservient to a divine purpose, 
the establishment of the Christian religion. But. 
unfortunately, good taste did not always direct them 
when they commanded the subjects for pictures : 
the painting of many of which, but for that circum 
stance, would not be creditable to the understand- 
ings of the artists. And thus was their time wasted, 
so far at least as regarded the exaltation of their 
own names as the instructors of mankind. To the 
artists who have followed them, they have been of 
the greatest service, not only in teaching them 
what to avoid, but also in leaving them almost per- 
fect examples of the minor requisites of a picture ; 
and they may, like the bee who sips from every 
flower, glean from each whatever may be necessary 



16 

to promote their own views \vith respect to the 
great end of art. 

In condemning this merely decorative style, I 
would ask, who is the better man from seeing pic- 
tures, which excite no other sensation than what a 
nosegay might produce, or any other gaudy assem- 
blage of colours ? What instructive lesson is con- 
veyed by countenances void of expression, drunken 
Bacchanals, sleeping nymphs, or flying Cupids, 
with which we see one half of our collections filled ? 
No wonder this divine art has been considered by 
the multitude as a mere mechanical employment, 
when its patrons have shown so little judgment, 
and its professors, who should uphold its dignity, 
and teach the world how to think, have betrayed so 
vile a taste. They may evince considerable talents 
in the arrangement and execution ; but they are 
nothing unless a story is told, and sentiment pre- 
vails. I will allude to two pictures of the Venetian 
school as examples of this style ; the one " the 
Marriage in Cana,"^ by Paul Veronese, displaying 
the most extraordinary assemblage of colour and 
composition that ever was combined in one picture, 
but destitute of expression, character, or correct- 
ness of costume. If it can be so called, the only 
expression to be found in this chef d'^ceiivre of Paul 
Veronese, is a man in the foreground, who is hold- 



^ This picture is now exhibited in all its glory in tJie Louvre ;. 
it was exchanged by Austria for one of Lc Briui's. Oh ! for a 
mark that would denote a laugh of half an hour lone; ! 



17 

ing up his garment, which is red, to the master of 
the feast, signifying that the water was turned into 
wine — 

" The conscious water saw its God and blush'd." 

Christ and his mother, the principal characters 
in the story, are almost lost in the gay throng by 
which they are surrounded. This picture, in fact, 
was made subservient, not to religion, but to the 
vanity of the patrons of the artist, whose portraits 
are seen in connecting groups throughout. The 
other is a picture also of Paul Veronese, lately 
purchased by the British Institution. The subject 
is some such tale, and it is distinguished by possess- 
ing many of the minor requisites, and by the ab- 
sence of the higher excellencies before mentioned. 
How fir this picture is a proper study for youth, 
without previous knowledge, and without the guid- 
ance and control of superior minds, remains to be 
considered by the governors. But, in my humble 
opinion, to hold such pictures forward indiscrimi- 
nately, and without direction, for their contempla- 
tion, is like alluring them to the gayeties of the 
world, by which their taste becomes vitiated. It is 
this that has made the establishment of a school for 
painting in the Royal Academy, under the auspices 
of an Owen, a Phillips, and other distinguished 
members, so desirable a thing, and the accomplish- 
ing of which has been hailed with so much plea- 
sure. 

The ornaments and brilliancy of colour seen in 



18 

the Venetian pictures, as well as those of Rubens^ 
have led many astray, so far as to induce them to 
think, that to put a crown upon a man's head was 
to stamp him a king. But gods, kings, and heroes, 
should be known, not by their various attributes, 
but by the majesty, the dignity of form, and noble 
intrepidity, displayed in themselves. The coun- 
tenance should be made the index to the mind ; the 
form and action should correspond with the coun- 
tenance. Those, therefore, who denote kings only 
by their crowns, the number of their attendants, 
and the external symbols of greatness, are either 
ignorant of what constitutes true royalty, or, if 
acquainted with it, have not the power to ex- 
press it. 

Here I cannot help remarking, and condemning 
those persons who aim at what the natural bias of 
their minds, and consequently their course of study, 
does not fit them for. However we may admire the 
versatility of a man's talent, he, in the end, does 
himself an injury by attempting too much. Teniers 
and Hogarth, each admirable in the familiar depart- 
ment of art, in portraying the common occurrences 
of vulgar life, made their essay in the historic walk, 
and, as might be expected, failed. Others, since 
them, have done the same, and, like them, have 
been disappointed. As well might a man, always 
accustomed to vulgar company, attempt to move in 
the highest sphere of life with the ease and grace 
which distinguish it. An epic painter, like an epic 
poet, will dignify the meanest subject j a painter of 



19 

familiar life will degrade the highest. Raffaelie 
would make a beggar a king. Teniers, in his en- 
deavour to produce a king, would not raise him 
above individuality. This is, perhaps, one of the 
greatest difficulties of the art, to stamp the character 
of superiority on the person represented ; to have 
it in your power to say, the moment you cast your 
eye on a picture, " that is a lady, a nobleman, a 
king, a hero, or a god." Among the moderns, 
Reynolds evinced this power in his portraits : all 
his men and women have an air of superiority. 

If I were inclined to assimilate the English school 
to any other, it would be to that of Correggio. But 
the present French and Italian schools are unlike 
any that have preceded them, and, I hope, any that 
may follow. They can only be compared with 
themselves. They have this merit, that their 
style and taste are completely their own, and as far 
removed from nature as it is possible to be. Instead 
of painting man in the abstract, their characters are 
of a particular kind, and what is commonly termed 
Frepch ; and their expression is usually exaggerat- 
ed. With the good composition which some of their 
pictures possess, much might be allowed ; but that 
their colouring is vile, and their execution in ge- 
neral miserable. When we look at their portraits, 
whether in the Salle des Marechals or at their own 
houses — either at Paris or at Rome, they remind 
one of the lines of Peter Pindar : — 



20 



In portrait they're as much alone 

As was in landscape the unrivaU'd Claude 

Of pictures I have seen enough ! 

Most vile. ?iiost execrable stuft*! 

But none so bad as theirs, I vow to God. 



Or, 



When it shall so please the Lord 
To make his people out of board, 
Their pictures will be tolerable nature. 

The best picture that has appeared in the mo- 
dern French school, is the battle of Austerhtz, by- 
Gerard. To be sure, in the hero of that event was 
a subject to inspire any one. It was finely com- 
posed, and had a proper attention to character and 
detail ; but its greatest fault was a want of the 
breadth of nature, which distinguishes the produc- 
^tions of the English school. This picture, that 
semi-barbarian Blucher wished to destroy. It is 
however, no longer seen, having been removed 
from the place which it occupied, in the room ad- 
joining the chapel in the Thuilleries. 

I have before observed, that the improved state 
of the arts in England is owing to the exertions of 
the artists them3':;lves ; and when contrasted with 
their state in France and Italy, where immense sums 
have been expende^l to forward and support them, 
it only shows the futility of all particular patronage. 
It is out of the power of any individual, or set of in- 
dividualsj to create genius, or to give full effect to 



21 

Us exertions when discovered. The public at large 
are the only real patrons. As it is the improved 
state of public feeling which will guide our politics 
into the right path, so we niust look forward to the 
improvement of the public mind, to protect, encou- 
rage, advance, and support the Fine Arts. 

By depending on the public alone, every man will 
rise and fall according to his own merit, and at any 
rate will escape the degradation of having his more 
correct notions of things opposed, and his exertions 
almost paralyzed, by the opinions of the half inform- 
ed.* How many of elevated genius have suffered 
this affliction ! The friendship of a distinguished indi- 
vidual to a young man may not only be necessary, but 
of infinite importance to his future exertions ; but it 
is on the judgment of the public that he must build his 
hopes ; and we may now congratulate ourselves, that 
England can no longer be reproached by foreigners 
for frigidity of temper, as far as regards the arts ; for 
its school has become the first of the present day. 

To assist to give the Fine Arts that elevation in 
Britain which they are destined to fiil, and which 
they have occupied in the most refined ages of the 
world ; to disseminate opinions arising from true 
feeling, thus engrafting on the public a knowledge 
of their importance, should be the aim, not only of 



^ The difference between the judgment of an artist and an 
amateur, will be seen in the examination before the committee 
of the House of Commons. Vide report on the Elgin marbles. 



the professors, but of every enlightened mind ; and 
posterity will only regard us as so many degrees 
from barbarism, according to the rank the imitative 
arts take. 

The introduction of the Elgin marbles in England, 
has given new^ life to the admirers of arts and lovers 
of excellence. In them is seen the essence of a 
style, simple, natural, and grand. As revolution is 
the order of the day, they have already produced a 
revolution in art, and will produce another in the na- 
tional taste. They are models for our imitation su- 
perior to an}^ that Italy or France possesses. Not 
only are they proper for the contemplation of the 
artist, but they cannot be too much visited by the 
public at large, as they are such examples as no one 
can look upon with attention, without retiring from 
the examination with improved ideas of what is truly 
beautiful. The British Museum, where they are 
deposited, should be the constant resort of the Bri- 
tish fair. Although our countrywomen are superior 
to the women on the continent, and I may, perhaps, 
say, to any in the world, yet we should, to the last 
moment of our lives, keep up a settled intercourse 
with what is excellent. Let them therefore but re- 
gard, with an attentive eye, the Frieze which once 
adorned the temple of Minerva at Athens, and they 
will receive a better lesson in simplicity and elegance 
of demeanour, than they ever learned from those 
attitudinarians, the dancing masters. Let them there 
study grace in the disposition of their drapery, and 
reject the capricious freaks of their milliners. Fa« 



sliion is the daughter of elegance and modesty, while 
caprice is the offspring of extravagance and folly. 
It is impossible to find a fault in the whole frieze, the 
figures throughout being models of loveliness. How 
much ought the government to congratulate itself, 
that in the time of its existence, such a valuable ad- 
dition to the real treasures of the country has been 
made. It is certainly a new era in the career of 
ministers ; and no doubt will, from the eclat it has 
given them, impress them with the necessity of bet- 
ter consulting the glory of Great Britain, by as stre- 
nuously cultivating the arts of peace, "as they have 
hitherto promoted those of war. 

With respect to public establishments for the study 
and promotion of the Fine Arts, it is of no use form- 
ing them, unless they are guided and superintended 
by eminent professors. Hence arises the superiority 
of the Royal Academy. The discriminating powers 
of its members, the good advice and liberal encou- 
ragement given to junior talent, are not the least of 
the advantages which the students derive from that 
institution ; besides that they have it always in their 
power to refer to judgments on which they can de- 
pend. 

The Royal Academy was founded by our King, 
who in this act evinced his love and desire for the 
welfare of the state. The infant establishment was 
soon after left to its fate, and the abilities of its mem- 
bers have raised it to its present height ; thus open- 
ing the eyes of the public as to British talent, v-^^ 
rendering the institution worthy of their patr'^*"*^g<^- 



24 

From this, all other similar establishments have ema- 
nated, and have succeeded more or less, according 
to their management. 

The British Gallery, another institution for pro- 
moting art in London, has somewhat disappointed the 
hopes of the public, from its management being too 
much left in the hands of servants. As might be ex- 
pected, the hopes and feelings of the artists have 
been trifled with, favouritism has crept in, and it has 
been necessary to use interest and conciliate menials, 
an abasement to which superior minds could not sub- 
mit. Hence have the works of some of our best art- 
ists been banished from the walls of that exhibition, 
which is the real cause of its displaying less talent 
than formerly, and not that the Fine Arts have de- 
clined. The noble directors may be assured, that 
when they take the management on themselves, or 
will appoint men of talent who will be unswayed by 
prejudice, possessing discriminating powers, and 
otherwise capable of the task, this will not be the 
case. 

With respect to the general instruction of the Fine 
Arts, as far as regards the public at large, as it is 
practised in our seminaries, or in private teaching, 
the prevailing system has been bad. Unfortunately, 
it has not been made worthy of the attention of men 
of talent : hence this branch of the art has been left 
to pretenders, and consequently the public have not 
been properly imbued, either with the principles or 
*he advantages to be derived from their study. I 
i^a^- here be allowed to observe, that teachers of 



2o 

every denomination have too often to combat with 
the ignorance or impatience of parents, which is 
another reason that makes persons of talent dishke to 
engage in the occupation. We do not pay that respect 
which we ought to those to whom we would intrust 
the education of our children ; and hence it often hap- 
pens that those who are the least fit for the task be- 
come installed in the oiSce. To go a step farther 
from our subject^ — how many young women of su- 
perior education, governesses in private families, 
are there, who are looked upon by their employers 
almost as servants? — And is it to servants that we 
leave the instilling of virtue and knowledge into our 
children ? The general system of the education of 
^'^outh wants revising. The reader will pardon this 
digression, though somewhat allied to the subject. 

To enter into a further comparison of the present 
French and Italian schools of painting with that of 
the British, the latter being so decidedly pre-emi- 
nent, would be invidious ; and there are none, I hope, 
who will condemn my selecting a few names from 
among its distinguished professors, as examples ; or 
who, having visited the continent, will not agree with 
me, when I say, that there is no living artist in France? 
or Italy, whose works show the variety and truth of 
character and expression, vigour of execution, and 
knowledge of the art, displayed in those of our vene- 
rable President West ; who has the angelic grace 
and Raffaelle style of Stothard ; the delicate and beau- 
tifully poetic feeling of Howard ; the colouring of 
Phillips^ the extraordinary powers of Turner; the 



26 

energy — the fire of Fuzeli ; or who can at all aspire 
to the tasteful magnificence of Lawrence. I again 
repeat, the English school is superior, in every 
branch of the Fine Arts, to any now in existence, and 
that it has all the sterling requisites to make it really 
great. With the cartoons of Raffaelle, and the Elgia 
marbles, we may defy the world, having in them eve- 
ry thing necessary for the formation of our taste, 
and for the correction of our judgment. 



A 

JOURNEY 

TO 

HOME AJVn JVAPLES^ 

IN 1817. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

When a person sets out to travel, he should en- 
deavour to devest himself of all prejudice, that he 
may relate what he sees vi^ith impartiality. Such, 
however, is the force of habit, that few are able to 
overcome their early predilections for the customs 
and manners of their own country, and their dislike 
of that which is foreign. Ignorance, in this respect, 
too often presides at our education. We have been 
taught to look upon foreigners, and Frenchmen in 
particular, with the utmost contempt ; we have been 
told that they live upon frogs, an animal that most 
English are afraid of; and the whole nation has been 
degraded, in our eyes, to something below the hu- 
man species. Other nations on the continent have 
been joined in this general odium, until at length ma- 
ny have fancied that ail was barbarous beyond our own 
shores. Bat let us hope that the time is not far 
<Jistaat, when more liberal sentiments will prevail 



28 

Every nation may have its prejudices ; but the 
English, who really have so much to be proud of 
in their own country, are possibly the most subject 
to this propensity of finding fault, when travelling, 
with what differs from that to which they have been 
accustomed. Tlie travelling English are, for the 
XBOst part, moneyed people ; and it is well known, 
that the moneyed people are not always the best in- 
formed. Hence the number of idle tales, and the 
numerous anecdotes, to the prejudice of the French 
nation. Viewing every thing through the medium 
of their own country, they give a false account of 
their reception, the manners, customs, habits, and 
living, of the French : and as it is much easier to 
find fault than to praise, and much more the disposi- 
tion of idle tale bearers, these relations are repeated 
with double tongued malignity, until at last they as- 
sume a most deterring appearance. Many who 
have visited France, come back and rail against the 
exorbitant charges. The truth I believe to be this ; 
that so much having been said respecting the cheap- 
ness of provisions, &c. on the continent, they expect 
to live almost for nothing. It is certain, that even 
in places that have been corrupted by English pro- 
fusion, we live cheaper than in our own country ; 
and in most places, for about half the expense.^ 

* Charges at a respectable Hotel at Pans. 

f. *. 

Breakfast, consisting of coffee, bread, butter, and eggs 1 10 
Dinner at the table criiotc, fish, flesh, and fowl, wine, des- 
sert, &ic. - . 3 



29 

Many, by way of showing off, call for the most ex- 
travagant wines, also for port and porter, things 
more out of the way than any wines we can call for 
in England ; and, of course, they must expect to 
pay exorbitantly for the accommodation. I have 
known some who visited France soon after the rec- 
tum of Louis, when port or porter could not be pro- 
cured for any money, abuse it most unmercifully, as 
a place where nothing good or rational was to be en- 
joyed. Many John Bulls, who are accustomed to 
drink themselves into a sweet state of forgetfulness 
after dinner, find themselves animated with a liveli- 
ness they cannot understand, which is produced, in a 
great measure, by the fineness of the air, as well as 
the lightness of food ; and, boasting they cc^ drink 
three or four bottles of such trash as the i'Vench 
wine, most probably make themselves iif, and then 
France and all in it must be blamed for their folly.* 
What is termed English comfort, is synonymous 
most frequently, I am inclined to believe, with sen- 
sual enjoyment. Many English ladies and delicate 



A cup of coffee .--.-..08 

Bed " 2 

6 18 

^ The first time I visited France, we had in our company 
©ne of these persons, calling at every place for port and porter, 
jmd sending France to the devil; because it could not be procur- 
ed. At Paris he was laid up four days, from vexation and the 
quantity of wine he had drunk. 

3* 



30 

youths complain of the food, and manner of cooking 
it ; and turn up their noses, and express their dis- 
gust at seeing pure melted butter brought to table, 
which has the appearance of being oiled ; but they 
forget the thick pudding made of good flour and wa- 
ter, or the thin water gruel, which is so often brought 
to an English table, as a substitute for melted but- 
ter. 

Italy and France still resemble each other ia 
some particulars, which may have arisen from their 
long intercourse, and having been under the same 
government ; but in most things, at the present mo- 
ment, they are widely different. The French are 
proverbially honest, the Italians directly the re- 
verse. There is a neatness and cleanliness in the 
French ; and although they cannot be compared to 
the English in these particulars, they are greatly 
superior to the Italians, who are in general very 
filthy. The country of France is richly cultivated, 
whilst a great part of Italy is a desert. Where it 
is to be got, the dressing of the food is very simi- 
lar ; but in travelling through some parts of Italy, 
the visiter must not be very fastidiouSj'^but content 
himself with sour bread, bad cheese, and indiffer- 
ent wine. The French are lively and industrious : 
the Italians add cunning to their liveliness, and are 
extremely indolent. If extreme poverty is seen in 
France, the most abject misery and wretchedness 
are met with continually in the other country. The 
system of the police is so good in France, that yoir 
travel in perfect safety in every part 5 whilst, in 



31 

Italy, your property is in contimial jeopardy, nor 
is your life ever secure. In fact, to compare the 
government of Italy with that of France, we may 
almost give the latter the appellation of paternal. In 
the conveniences of travelling also, in these two 
countries, there is a great difference. A person 
may be conveyed in safety and comfort, by the Dili- 
gences, to all parts of France ; or, if he has a 
carriage, can travel equallj' so by post. In Italy, 
there being no regular conveyances from one part 
to another, the difficulty of getting to any particular 
place is great, unless you have a carriage of your 
own ; and you are then subject to every species of 
villany and extortion, without the possibility of 
getting any redress ; besides the continual hazard of 
being attacked by the distressed and infuriated rab- 
ble, who infest every part of Italy. Indeed, with- 
out an escort of Cavalry, travelling is avowedly 
dangerous ; and, on the other side of the Apen- 
nines, a guard of that kind is absolutely neces- 
sary. 

The various accounts in the following pages, all 
of which relate to occurrences that passed within 
my own knowledge, are still more fatally confirmed 
by the intelligence lately received from Italy ; from 
which it appears, that the audacity of the bands of 
robbers has arrived to such a pitch, that they not 
merely rob and murder travellers, plunder the villas 
in the vicinity, and brave the gates of Rome, car- 
rying off prisoners and then demanding their ransom, 
bu^ even enter that city in large bodies, and threaten 



32 , 

iis inhabitants. Turkey, a government we despisi; 
for its imbecility, is not so bad a& this. From good 
authority, I know that we can travel there in com- 
parative safety. However, such are the results in 
Ital}^ from the return of what are termed the legiti- 
mate governments. 

In travelling, the first thing to be considered is 
the choice of your companions, if you dislike going 
alone, Nothing is more delightful, when a company 
of persons set out on a journey, than that recipro- 
city of feeling which converts even the common ac- 
cidents or inconveniences of the road into only 
trifling alloys of pleasure. 1 can speak of the truth 
of this from experience ; but as every person may 
not be so fortunate, and as in our conversations with 
various travellers, we have heard many pitiable com- 
plaints, 1 beg leave to offer a few observations on 
this head by way of caution. 

Persons travelling together, to view the beauties 
of nature and art, should have a congeniality of 
mind in all things. Independently of taste and 
cheerfulness, so necessary to the real enjoyment of 
the scenes which offer, they should possess a hu- 
manity of heart which will readily make little sa- 
crifices to each other's comfort ; and be entirely 
free from selfishness, sulkiness, and ill humour. 
Unless a person be certain in these respects of him- 
self, as well as others, I should advise him to travel 
alone. He who travels for improvement, had better 
trust to chance for his companions, than run any 
risk. He can then leave them when he thinks 



33 

pFoper, and he has a better opportunity of mixing 
with the natives of the several countries he may 
visit. For with companions who have not these re- 
quisites, he will endure more misery than it is pos- 
sible to describe : his reflections will be interrupted 
by petty squabbles, his contemplations will be dis- 
turbed with disputes on trifles, and his mind will be 
so harassed, as to prevent him from taking advan- 
tage of the opportunities for which he travels. 
There are various innocent ways, by which a mind 
eager for knoivledge, and on the alert to profit by 
the examples of excellence with which he may be 
surrounded, may be annoyed. He may have com- 
panions who, according to the present fashion, may 
be two hours dressing, or who may find a trifling 
occupation, when on the point of visiting som^ fine 
temple, of exploring some magnificent ruin, or of 
contemplating a splendid assemblage of the chef 
d^oeuvres of art ; and he must either forego his gra- 
tification, or submit to their ill humour forgoing 
without them. Here there would be an end to that 
pleasurable intercourse which should exist between 
fellow travellers, because such people are alter- 
nately guided by obstinacy and ill humour, caprice 
or indifference. Courage is another desirable in- 
gredient in a travelling companion, and more par- 
ticularly in Italy ; but it is not so absolutely neces- 
sary as taste, generosity of heart, and good humour. 
Some will be so peevish, as to express the greatest 
impatience at the unavoidable privations of travel 
Hng ; and, instead of bearing them witli cheerful- 



34 

aess, will quarrel with the stones on the road for 
causing an additional movement of the carriage t 
others will exhibit a total incapacity, mental as well 
as bodily, when a real misfortune occurs. Such was 
the general character of the complaints made to us 
by several of our unfortunate countrymen ; and 
they need only to be known to be avoided. 

In travelling in Italy, in its present state of anar- 
chy, it is absolutely necessary to have firearms with 
you; although, when attacked by large bodies of 
the brigands, it is dangerous to use them, as you 
would then be overpowered by their numbers, and 
your death certain. But the knowledge that you 
possess such means of defence, serves to repress 
the audacity of less organized ruffians. In France, 
as I have before hinted, there is no necessity for 
this precaution ; nor was there in Italy when the 
French possessed the government. I have under- 
stood that these fellows acknowledge a so7't of 
respect for the 'English, knbwing that they always 
travel armed ; and that they will not part easily with 
any thing, however trifling, when openly attacked ; 
therefore, if they cannot beset them by numbers, 
they will use cunning, in which they are great 
adepts ; and the unsuspecting character of the 
English lays them more open to suffer by this 
mode. 

In these, and any other observations I may make 
in the following pages by way of caution, 1 address 
myself more particularly to those of limited fortune, 
who travel for improvement in art, or who may be 



3d 

desirous of satisfying their curiosity in ranging 
over the scenes of former clays. Those of large 
fortune, who may have friends and who can com- 
mand introductions, whose education has give ^ them 
classical knowledge, who speak the language with 
fluency, and who have dependants on their wiUj 
want no advice, no cautipn, no information. 



36 



CHAPTER IL 

• BRIGHTOIf. 

Having determined to visit Rome and the prin» 
cipal cities of Italy, to observe what had been done 
in art, as well as to enjoy the satisfaction of tread- 
ing on that ground sacred to liberty, virtue, glory, 
and knowledge ; to wander in a country, the former 
mistress of the globe, where the ^rts have been 
twice regenerated, and where modern learning had 
its birth — I left London with a glowing impatience, 
accompanied by two friends, who were desirous of 
joining me in the excursion. 

By Brighton and Dieppe, is not only the shortest, 
but the most pleasant road to Paris, provided the 
passage by sea be good. The imposition that is 
practised at this place, by the boatmen demanding 
three shillings for the conveyance of each passen- 
ger on board the vessel, should be resisted, as it is 
the captain's duty to provide a boat for that pur- 
pose. It was endeavoured to be enforced on our 
party ; but having agreed for a certain sum, we 
refused to comply with the demand. We got gn 
board at eight o'clock in the evening, expecting to 
be at Dieppe early the next morning. Finding I 
could not hold myself upright, I lay down on the 
deck ; my thoughts alternately recurring to the 
happiness of home, or dwelling upon the pleasing 



37 

anticipations of the future. These reflections were 
occasionally interrupted by the lamentations of my 
fellow passengers, some of whose sufferings were 
pitiable, while the complaints of others were truly 
laughable. To see the trembling knees of him who 
strutted with so confident a step ashore ; to see 
another, whose head was elevated so high at the 
commencement of the voyage, and who was chat- 
tering with extreme volubility on the merits of a 
ship, and showing his ignorance of nautical affairs, 
or making his first essay at the French language 
with the captain, now stretched inanimate across 
the deck, were sufticiently amusing. One lady^ 
who confidently expected to go to the bottom every 
moment, had two bandboxes, of which she never 
lost sight. They contained, I suppose, some arti- 
cles of apparel. In the midst of her lamentations, 
and her pathetic inquiries whether there was an}' 
danger, we heard every now and then exclamations 
of, ''Oh, sir 1 take care, you'll squeeze that, or 
3^ou'll spoil this." She was evidently resolved to 
preserve what was to astonish the Parisians, should 
she be fortunate enough to arrive safe. Many had 
brought on board quantities of provisions ; and I 
could not help smiling, ill as I was, at the waggery 
of the captain, who offered a gentleman a leg of 
lamb, in the midst of his sickness ; and, on his re- 
fusal, made a hearty supper of it himself. 

The bustle of the scene gradually subsided howe- 
ver, and the passengers one by one dropped below, 
leaving me to indulge in my own thoughts. It wa^ 



38 

n lovely night : the moon shining with uncommon 
brilliancy. I was, at that moment, in the humour 
of the melancholy Jaques. I could have found 
*' tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 
sermons in stones, and good in every thing" — ex- 
cept my actual condition. Being in this disposition, 
I was led even to remark upon a subject which, 
tinder other circumstances, I should either have 
overlooked or despised. I reflected upon those 
accidents of life which produce momentary equality 
between those whom birth, education, or fortune, 
have widely separated. The common sailors, by 
whom I was surrounded, seemed to feel importance, 
from the power which a mere habit of being at sea 
had given them. 

To gain an elevation above the mass, is what ani- 
mates all mankind ; but, in this instance, it was 
chance alone which gave them ^ casual sway. — 
However, a feeling of this kind should always be 
encouraged ; for if we look at the different ranks 
of society, we shall perceive that this desire to be 
more than what we are, is productive of much good. 
But, as all are not blessed with equal ability, va- 
rious means are pursued for the attainment of the 
same object : and, indeed, to what artifices will not 
some resort for its accomplishment ? 

Some endeavour, by study, to supply the defects 
of nature, or to improve their natural endowments ; 
and this is the only source of true pre-eminence. 
To such are we indebted for the civilization of so- 
ciety, and the exaltation of the human character. 



39 

Others, with abilities which, properly used, might 
make them good and great, believe that notoriety 
and fame are synonymous ; or, finding they can 
become notorious with less study than what is re- 
quired to make them truly great, they apply them- 
selves to the arts of intrigue and cabal, and endea- 
vour by cunning to overreach their neighbours. 
To this class are we indebted for many of the dis- 
sentions and miseries of mankind. Among the mi- 
nor offenders, are those domestic vipers who crawl 
into the confidence of individuals merely to betray 
them ; or who, from their general usefulness, being 
admitted into families, make it their chief aim to 
retail whatever they see or hear, always in viola- 
tion of social confidence, and often to the' destruc- 
tion of domestic peace. Another class are those 
who possess no great powers, but who have just 
sufficient sense to wish to be more than what they 
are. They see a degree of respect paid to men in 
office, however trifling it may be ; and despairing 
of attracting notice by their own acquirements, seek 
to possess, or eagerly thrust themselves into those 
situations, (which abound in every sphere of life, 
and which seem to be preserved for the greatest 
fools,) on purpose to obtain that elevation in society 
to which their natural abilities would never elevate 
them. 

Many who are born to high rank, forgetting that 
true rank and greatness spring from intellectual su- 
periority alone, and that they are indebted to the 
eminent deeds of their ancestors for the station 



40 

tliey occupy in society, tliink to maintain that sta- 
tion, not by the exercise of those powers by which 
\t was originally won, but by haughtiness, reserve, 
and by endeavouring to oppress those whom the 
world ranks beneath them. This haughtiness and 
reserve, however, which they think an admirable 
plan to conceal their ignorance, does but expose it. 
Nor is this attempt to appear grand confined to those 
who are merely high-born ; it is too often aped by 
little minds, through all ranks of life. We meet 
continually those great little people, who are soli- 
citous to excite an idea of their importance, by their 
lofty talk on the most insignificant subjects ; and by 
their swelling looks, which so often silence modest 
worth. 

These and similar reflections amused me until our 
arrival off Dieppe, where we landed about five the 
following evening, after being detained about an 
hour in a fishing-boat, into which the captain had 
crowded us, though contrary to the laws of that 
port. We were twenty-one hours on the sea, 
which is reckoned rather a long passage ; though I 
liave been, in the same season of the year, thirty- 
seven hours going from Brighton to Dieppe. 

Dieppe is a handsome old town, and the impres- 
sion which the first sight of it made upon me in 
1814, recurred to my memory. The streets, which 
are broad, and kept very clean, it was then the 
employment of the women to sweep. Indeed, fe- 
males at that time appeared to transact all the busi- 
ness ; the few men that were idling about were 



41 

soldiers. Although at the present moment, the wo- 
men have not lost their influence, but still appear 
at the head of affairs in France, yet a greater num- 
ber of men are seen employed in business than for- 
merly. It was ingenuously observed to us, by a 
pretty and interesting young girl, with all that win- 
ning air and manner which characterize the French 
women ; that although she loved Buonaparte very 
much, she was not so sorry at the change of govern- 
ment, as it preserved to them the young men, who, 
under the former dynasty, were taken away for a 
certain time, and perhaps never returned ; '' and 
you know," continued she, " the susceptibility of a 
young heart to love." 

<^ Et comme un jeune cceur est bientot enflamme : 
" II me vit, il m'aima ; Je le vis, Je Taimois." 

The cross, with the figure of Christ, is a con- 
spicuous object on the pier. An Englishman, on 
entering France for the first time, looks about him 
with a degree of complacency, which arises from 
obvious causes. Every thing bears the air of no- 
velty. He contrasts the awkward looking machines 
for conveyance, with the compactness of those of 
his own country, and exalts in the idea of their 
superiority. The civihty with which he is accosted, 
the ready attendance to his wishes, the being point- 
ed out as English, an appellation of which we are 
so justly proud ; even the being accosted as Mon- 
sieur Goddem, which is commonly applied to us by 

some of the facetious French youths, give him a 

4* 



42 

feeling which is flattering to his vanit)''. A general 
courtesy to the English prevails throughout France; 
and we appear more than ever to understand each 
other, upon points in which heretofore we were sup- 
posed most to differ. This reciprocal feeling should 
be cultivated, as the interest of both nations is con- 
cerned. 

We engaged our places in one of the Diligences 
for Rouen. These vehicles, however cumbrous 
they may appear, are much more easy and agree- 
able for the passenger than our own stage -coachesr. 
Every one is so well acquainted with the form of a 
French Diligence, that its description here would be 
unnecessary ; but the comfort of the inside, from 
having plenty of room, and the pleasure of travel- 
ling in the Cabriolet, which is their outside, where 
your neck is not risked, but you are shaded from the 
sun, and, if necessary, can be shielded from the rain, 
enjoying the scene around, is so agreeable, contrast- 
ed with our own mode, that not to notice it would 
have been unjust. We boast, that the word comfort 
is unknown in France ; here, however, is'*a luxury 
we do not enjoy in England. The neatness of the 
English is proverbial ; but I doubt, if it continue to 
make such rapid strides as it has lately done, whe- 
ther the comfort we so pride ourselves upon, will 
not be gradually destroyed. Coaches are made so 
compact, so neat, and so small, as to give the cramp 
to those who sit in them ; while their height is so pre- 
posterous, as to endanger the lives of the outside 
i)a9sengers. If a house be built, neatness is the 



first thing considered ; and the timbers are so slight, 
that a walk across the room shakes the whole fabric .* 
Formerly, we could indulge ourselves with a dance ; 
but, in the modern houses, this exhilirating and 
healthful amusement must be set aside ; at least in 
private life, lest we bring our roofs about our ears. 
Although not an advocate for innumerable cupboardsj 
and closets, yet such a thing is a rarity in a new 
house. Count Rumford's stoves, \>j which a room 
is to be heated, or a dinner cooked by a sheet of 
brown paper ; shallow grates ; ricketty chairs ; all 
spring from this love of small things, that our rooms 
may look neat. The blazing hearth, that used to 
enliven our farm-houses, is filled up, and a small 
nea^ stove, with a small neat fire, appears in its place. 
Our clothes even are made so neat and scanty, as 
hardly to cover us ; inflicting, at the same time, no 
small portion of torture ; while we must be careful 
how we stoop or stride, lest some part of them 
should burst. In fact, this rage for neatness de- 
stroys solidity and propriety, renders our conveni- 
ences for travelling any thing but convenient, and 
tends to rob our persons and our firesides of that 
comfort of which we boast so much. 

Since the late intercourse with France, when 
such crowds of our countrymen have landed on her 



'^ Our ancestors were much more generous than ourselves, 
they built for posterity: we raise our buildings hardly to lastoui: 
nvn lifetime. 



44 

shores, their impatience of delay has induced the 
proprietors of the coaches to make arrangements in 
the Imperial to carry six persons, which, in fine 
weather, is far from being unpleasant. Novelty first 
induced us to select, and necessity afterwards ob- 
liged us to continue in this place. Our progress 
was slow, but agreeably enlivened by a Frenchman, 
who warbled some favourite, airs with much taste and 
feeling. The lower classes in France are greatly 
superior to those in England, while the higher are 
much inferior. The slavish attendance exacted 
from them by an arbitrary, superstitious, and bigot* 
ed Court, by damping the energies of the mind, pro- 
duces, perhaps, this inferiority. This despotism 
extends, and is felt, universally. Such is the influ- 
ence of the crown, and patronage of the ministry, 
that to get the lowest situation in a common coach- 
office, it is first necessary to be a courtier, and have 
what is termed the influence of government, which, 
of course, is obtained by fawning. This monopoly 
of patronage is, probably, the cause of one govern- 
ment so easily succeeding another in France ; as its 
effects are seen, through all its connecting links, 
down to the smallest village. 

The road to Rouen is straight, broad, and paved 
in the centre ; and on each side are planted apple 
and pear trees. At Rouen there is a bridge of 
boats, well paved with stones, which rises and falls 
with the tide. The front of the cathedral is beau- 
tifully carved. It has its musee ; and there Is a 



45 

statae of the celebrated Joan of Arc, la pucelle 
d'' Orleans. 

In going out of Rouen, we ascended a hill, from 
the top of which there is a fine view. We then 
proceeded with a rapidity that was delightful, hav- 
ing seven horses galloping in the most irregular 
and laughable manner. The reins, which are very 
long, allowing the horses to range the road almost 
at pleasure ; their curvettings, neighings, prancings, 
and gallopings ; the harness with which they are 
encumbered, and the tackle by which they are 
united to the vehicle, are all calculated to excite 
laughter ; w^hile the ease and skill which the pos- 
tillion displays in their management, and the nicety 
with which he guides the carriage through the nar- 
rowest passes, such as the drawbridges and gates 
of fortified towns, equally excite admiration. As it 
is customary in France to kiss both men and women, 
a gentleman paying that compliment to a young 
woman who belonged to an inn on the road, the 
husband stepped forward, and pulling off his hat, 
thanked him for the honour he had done him. — 
This is but the habit of the country, and many idle 
tales, I believe, arise from it ; but it is ridiculous 
to suppose, that the French women are not as vir- 
tuous as their neighbours. Before we entered 
Pontoise, twenty-four miles from Paris, we saw the 
gilded dome of the Invalids shining in the sun. 

The French of the present day are, generally 
speaking, a fine race of men. Those who form 
their notions of them from theatrical representa- 



46 

tion, will find themselves deceived. They are not 
the starvelings represented to us. The Revolu- 
tion, no doubt, has done much to effect this, by 
mixing the different ranks of society. What might 
have been their character formerly, I know not ; 
but when we look round at their theatres, and con- 
trast the shrivelled forms and visages of the re- 
turned emigrants peeping from their solitary holes, 
dressed in the costume of the old court, their hair 
frizzled and powdered, with the offspring of the 
Revolution displaying their Brutus fronts, we may 
infer, that the character which has usually been 
given, may have had some foundation. The French 
are not such travellers as the English ; at least, not 
many have visited us, if we except the emigrant 
nobility, a class who are not the best specimens of 
any country in the present day ; and of course it is 
unjust to draw a conclusion from them, as to the 
general character of the existing race in France. 
For my own part, I never saw a pretty French wo- 
man before I visited their country, where I found 
them all, young and old, highly interesting. 



47 



CHAPTER III. 

PARIS AND LYONS. 

Paris has been so often seen, and so often de« 
scribed, of late, that little novelty could now be 
presented upon that subject. Something, indeed, 
might probably be done to remove those unfavoura- 
ble impressions which many recent publications, by 
prejudiced persons, have excited in the public 
mind ; but, perhaps, it is better that every one 
should judge for himself, only reminding travellers 
that their reception in France depends entirely on 
themselves. There is a coldnes and hauteur in the 
English character, which produce a disposition the 
very contrary to sociability ; and, I fear this is too 
often manifested by my countrymen when travel- 
ling. They betray, likewise, an indifference bor- 
dering on contempt for every thing French, toge- 
ther with the most fastidious caprice in all that re- 
gards their food and dress : indeed, in the latter 
particular, the French and English seem to have 
exchanged characters. The French, naturally live- 
ly, shrink from that appalling demeanour too often 
assumed by the untravelled English ;* or turn into 



* This reserve is sufficiently obvious at home ; if, for exam- 
ple, a stranger address us at any public place, we are disposed 
almost to consider him as a sharper or a pickpocket, and re- 



48 

ridicule their distant carriage, stiff joints, and awk- 
ward airs. This want of poUsh, which an inter- 
course with the world would give ; as also, of a 
little practical philosophy, to enable them to bear 
the inconveniences of travelling, are the origin, I 
am convinced, of all the complaints, real and ima- 
ginary, of the English who return from France. 

There is no modern city that can boast of such a 
succession of magnificent places as Paris. Begin- 
ning with the Palais Royale, you cross the Rue St. 
Honore to the Palais des Arts et des Sciences; 
whence, you pass through the Place de Carousel, 
to the Triumphal Arch of Buonaparte, on which 
were placed the bronze horses now at Venice. Go- 
ing through the centre of the Thuilleries, you enter 
tipon the gardens, adorned with statues, fountains, 
walks, &c. On the right of the gardens is the Place 
Vendome, with the Column Napoleon ; on the left 
the Seine, whose stream flows slowly on, hngering 
as if it regretted leaving so delightful a place. Still 
advancing, you arrive at the Place de la Concorde ; 
a magnificent range of buildings is seen on the right ; 
the Champs Eiysees in front, and on the left the 
fine Pont de la Concorde. Crossing the bridge, 
you find yourself opposite the beautiful palace of the 
Corps Legislatif, behind which is PHopital des In- 



luctantly answer his questions. 1 do not speak this of all, but 
of many. On the contrary, at any of the French theatres, a 
person so accosted, replies with the most becoming readiness, 
and gives every information desired. 



49 

talids, and near it TEcole Militaire. The next 
grand object which presents itself is the Champ de 
Mars, at the further end of which is the classical 
Pont de Jena. On the opposite side was to have 
been the Palace of the King of Rome, for which an 
immense space had been cleared ; nothing, however, 
except the foundation, is visible. All these places 
form an unbroken scene of magnificence and gran- 
deur. Distributed about the Fauxbourgs St. Ger- 
main and St. Margeau, are other objects equally in- 
teresting. Such are the Musee des Petits Augustins, 
Luxembourgh Palace and gardens, St. Sulspice, the 
noble and elegant pile of the Pantheon, the Cata- 
combs, the Observatory, the Gobelin tapestry, and 
the Jardin des Plantes. Crossing the iron bridge of 
Austerlitz, you arrive at the foundations of the Hall 
of Abundance, begun by the order of Napoleon, but 
now left to decay, like many other fine works which 
were in progress when the Bourbons returned. 
Proceeding by the fossee of the Bastile to the fountain 
of the Elephant, likewise unfinished, you arrive at 
the beautiful fountain of the Lions, and the best part 
of the Boulevards. 

Such a succession of pleasing objects, united to 
the civiUty with which you are received, the pre- 
vailing urbanity and politeness of the inhabitants, the 
music and singing which charm your ear, the drol- 
lery of the grimaciers and mountebanks, which irre- 
sistibly excite you to laughter, the bustle, the activi- 
ty, and the vivacity seen around, all conspire to 

5 



50 

create that feeling of delight and ecstasy which is 
seldom felt in our own country. The comforts, 
which attend the v/alks of the sensuahst, are great. 
If he be warm, he can retire to a delightful shade ; 
and command ices, lemonade, and punch of the most 
delicious kinds. If he be hungry, the most luxuri- 
ously cooked meats await his order : amusements of 
all kinds surround him ; and almost every wish his 
heart can form, is within his reach. Such is Paris 
for the common visiter. But it has far superior en- 
joyments for superior minds : it is rich in the arts and 
sciences ; and so liberal in the distribution of the 
benetits arising from them, that ever}^ person, from 
the highest to the lowest, v/ho has a soul to enjoy 
intellectual pleasures, may derive advantage from 
these well arranged institutions. How vv^orthy would 
this be of our imitation! The best views of Paris 
are from the top of Notre Dame, and the Column Na- 
poleon ; and the most picturesque and novel view to 
an English eye, in Paris, is from the Pont des Arts, 
looking towards the Pont Neuf. Persons have spo- 
ken much of the demoralization, as it is called, of 
the French since the revolution, and v/hich they at- 
tribute to a disregard for religion, as increased by 
that memorable event. In answer to this accusa- 
tion, I quote the follovi^ing authentic paper, being a 
license granted to Poulthier d'Elmotu by the Sieur le 
Noir, intendant of the police of the press, under the 
old Bourbon government. " I permit you to write 
against the Deity, but not against Monsieur de Man- 



51 

repas ;"^ against religion, but not against government; 
against the apostles, but not against ministers ; 
, against the saints, but not against the ladies of the 
court ; against morals, but not against the po- 
lice." 

In going from Paris to Lyons, we went out through 
the Fauxbourg St. Marceau, and the Barriere d'lta- 
lie, by which Rousseau made his first entry into 
Paris ; and when that impression was received, 
which was never effaced but with his life. The 
country, on the other side of Paris, is much superior 
to that between the coast and the capital, and to the 
traveller much more interesting. There are more 
visible signs of population ; chateaux and cottages 
are continually seen, although it cannot boast of that 
succession of villas which we see in England. The 
land appears every where richly cultivated ; the 
roads are broad and good, and for the most part paved 



* Maurepas was born in 1701. He was banished the French 
court in 1749, but was recalled in 1774, by Louis XVI. and 
died in 1781. He is described, by his biographer, as a states- 
man of profound knowledge, and great liberality. He had 
all the careless vivacity of his country. When exiled to Bour- 
ges, by the intrigues of a lady very powerful at court, he thus 
described his feelings : <^ The first day," said he, ^' I was 
piqued; the second, I was contented.'' As a minister, his 
views of objects were rapid and decisive ; but in recommend- 
ing the conduct which France pursued towards this country, 
when at war with her colonies, it has been thought he 
laid the foundation for the overthrow of flie French mo- 
narch v. 



52 

in the centre. The forest of Fontainbieau is beau- 
tiful, extensive, and grand. We passed through 
Montargis and Moulins, and at the latter place thought 
of Sterne's Maria. 

When resting at a small town, we were asked by 
some of the inhabitants, if we had any cities in Eng- 
land as large ; and pointing to a small eathedral, they 
demanded if it was not superb ? The French have 
certainly a very high idea of whatever is in their 
own country, often attaching infinite consequence to 
things of little or no importance. They have, how- 
ever, much to be proud of; and whether contem- 
plating the country, their cities, their buildings, or 
their monuments, a stranger finds himself continu- 
ally repeating the word magnificent. In going from 
Paris to Lyons by this route, we tii'avel for many 
miles on the banks of the Loire, and pass in sight of 
the place where the army retired on the abdication 
of Buonaparte. As an impartial relater, I cannot 
help here noticing the enthusiasm that seemed every 
where to prevail in favour of Napoleon : with 
whomsoever w^e conversed, he appeared to be 
idolized. In the Diligence there were two ladies 
and three gentlemen, all French. As we were on 
the same road by which he made his triumphal entry 
into France, on his return from Elba, the conver- 
sation naturally turned on the emperor : when ex- 
pressing my sentiments of him, happening to say 
something in his favour, the animation which 
sparkled in every eye ; the exclamations, accom- 
j)anied by that liveliness of gesticulation peculiar to 



the French ; the fervour with which they grasped 
my hand, spoke volumes. Indeed, it was every 
where the same ; on passing by one of the buildings 
in Paris, where workmen were employed to erase 
the effigies of Napoleon, a man exclaimed, '' Ah! 
they may blot out his emblems, but they cannot erase 
him from our hearts." Again, when I inquired why 
the Halle d'Abondance, which Napoleon began, was 
left unfinished, it was emphatically observed, that 
every thing was at a stand since the Bourbons had 
returned. 

About a day's journey from Lyons, we ascended 
some high hills, or rather mountains, which defend 
that city from the cold winds of the north ; and from 
which we had the most delightful, the most exten- 
sive, and the most varied prospect. Hills, valleys, 
pasturage, vineyards, blended with each other, and 
formed a continued scene of richness and beauty. 
A young woman was introduced to us at one of the 
inns, who, when Buonaparte passed that way from 
Elba, and wanted a postilion, offered her services, 
and guided him safe to the next post. He after- 
wards allowed her a pension. Whether they thought 
to tease us, as the English are supposed to have an 
inveterate hatred of Buonaparte, I know not ; but 
they appeared to delight in calling our attention to 
any thing that related to him, and seemed never 
weary of eulogizing him. 

The reason which induced me not to enter into 
a detail of Paris, does not extend to Lyons ; for as 
the journey of the greater part of the visiters to the 



54 

continent terminates at the former city, we have few 
or no descriptions of the latter. As the second city 
of France, however, as a place always celebrated 
for its commerce ; as a distinguished Roman co- 
lony, honoured by, and honouring, Augustus, adorn- 
ed by Mark Antony, Agrippa, Trajan, and after be- 
ing destroyed by fire, rebuilt at the instigation of 
Seneca ; distinguished as the birth-place of the Em- 
perors Marcus Aurelius, Caracalla, and Claudius ; 
of Germanicus ; of Philibert de I'Orme and Saufflot, 
architects of the Thuilleries and the Pantheon ; of 
Audran the celebrated engraver ; and of many 
others equally famous in painting, sculpture, poetry, 
physic, astronomy, &c.; as also from the beauty of 
its situation and surrounding scenery, it well deserves 
some record in a traveller's journal. 

This city is supposed to have been founded about 
forty years before the Christian era. It was built 
some time after the death of Julius Caesar by Lucius 
Munatius Plaucus, from whose name was derived 
Lucii Dunum, by abbreviation, Luc Dunum, since 
Lugdunum, and now Lyons. 

In the year of Rome 740, sixty cities of Gaul 
raised, at their joint expense, a temple to Augustus. 
This temple, ten years after its erection, became 
the seat of the sciences. Caligula established an 
academy or lyceum of eloquence. The contests 
were in Greek and Latin, under the regulation of a 
law, that any poet or orator who entered the list and 
was vanquished, should give a recompense to the 
conqueror, and ^make a panegyric on him. There 



55 

was also another law established, which evinced the 
ferocious caprice of the founder ; that those who 
were imprudent enough to present a bad work, 
should be constrained to efface the whole with their 
tongue ; and if they refused, they were to be pre- 
cipitated into the Saone. L'Eglise d'Aynai has 
four pillars which formerly belonged to this temple ; 
they were twenty-six feet in height, and each sup- 
ported a figure of Victory. A hundred years 
after the foundation of Lyons, when that city, em- 
beUished by an infinite number of buildings, dis- 
puted the palm with the most flourishing cities of 
Gaul, an incendiary who wished to attribute it to 
the fire of Heaven, reduced it to ashes. Seneca, 
who energetically described this conflagration, said, 
*' Between the existence of a considerable city, and 
its annihilation, there had been but the space of one 
night." Soon after, at his solicitation, Lyons, like 
a phoenix, rose from its ashes. 

Lyons is most beautifully picturesque : seated be- 
tween the Rhone and the Saone, whose streams 
unite about half a mile below the town, in the 45th 
degree of latitude, and defended by the hills on the 
north, it experiences neither the excessive cold nor 
heat of other places. Hills spring from the other 
side of the Saone, on which houses and chateaux 
are built, ornamenting their sides to the top, and 
giving richness and magnificence to the scene. 
The principal one is called the Montagne de Four- 
vieres, upon which is the Hospice de I'Antiquaille, 
built on the ruins of a palace where Antonia was de- 



56 

livered of Germanicus. It was upon this hill that 
Trajan constructed a magnificent edifice, comprising 
the markets, fairs, and tribunals of justice. This 
building, which fell in 840, was called Forum Vetus, 
afterwards Fort Viel, and then Fourvieres, the name 
it bears at present. An infinite number of antiques 
of all kinds have been found there ; among them 
are two tablets of bronze, on which is engraved a 
considerable part of the harangue delivered by the 
Emperor Claudius, when he was censor, to the se- 
nate of Rome, to induce them to declare Lyons, his 
native place, a Roman colony. 

From the chapel of Notre Dame there is an ex- 
tensive and delightful view over the country. The 
grounds which encircle the city are laid out in gar- 
dens for ornament and use, interspersed with innume- 
rable chateaux, hills, rivulets, and ruins : many of 
the latter are very ancient. The course of the 
Rhone is very vehement. Caesar mentions the 
" rapid Rhone." This gives it rather a dreariness 
of aspect, there being no boats for pleasure, &c. 
seen moving on it. However, it well contrasts with 
the bustle of the city. The quays are broad, and 
add much to the beauty of the scene. The Hotel 
de Ville is considered the finest in Europe, except- 
ing that of Amsterdam : the cathedral of St. Jean 
is magnificent. We attended a display, on Sunday, 
of the military, the band playing in the centre of 
the church : this had a grand effect. There are 
some very fine windows of stained glass, which shed 
their solemn light, enriching every object with a 



57 

crimson tone. There are some modern pillars 
near the altar, which have bronze ornaments and 
capitals. The Hotel Dieu, like its namesake in 
Paris, is for the reception of sick persons. The 
Library is on the banks of the Rhone, and contains 
about 4000 books. Here are some folio volumes 
with representations of Thebes in Egypt, made by 
the Sgavans who accompanied Buonaparte ; also a 
bronze bust of Voltaire, crowned with bays. From 
the balcony is seen Mont Blanc and the Alps. The 
Musee is situated in the place of the Hotel de Ville: 
the pictures are mostly copies. There is a model 
in cork of a temple at Pompeii, and a number of 
antiques ; the leg of a mummy, an ibis, &c. : 
there is also a very clever little picture by a Lyon- 
ese, a boy preparing colour for his master, almost 
equal to Gerard Dow. 

The theatres are good ; that of Celestines pretty 
and well formed. The parterre, or pit, is the same 
as in the old theatres, having no seats, and used for 
the reception of the lower classes. Shakspeare 
alludes to this custom in Hamlet's address to the 
players : ''Oh, it offends me to the soul to hear a 
robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to 
tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the ground- 
lings, who, for the most part, are capable of nothing 
but inexplicable dumb show and noise." Many 
of the French provincial theatres are the same. — 
There is an excellent establishment for learning to 
swim, on the Saone, where there are men employed 



58 

to give proper instructions. The warm baths are 
luxurious, and the charge but a franc and a half. 

La Place Belle Cour is a fine square. It is said 
that there was here, near to the Temple of Augus- 
tus, a celebrated tribunal, called Curia ; and, from 
the beauty of its local situation and the splendour of 
the edifice, they gave this court the appellation of 
Bella Curia, hence Belle Cour. Near this place 
is the street called Belle Cordiere, thus named, 
because there dwelt in the 16th century, Louise 
I'Abbe, the wife of a rope-merchant, a woman then 
celebrated for her personal attractions, her wit, her 
talents, her gallantries, and her adventures. Her 
house was frequented by all the persons of quality 
and merit in Lyons. All the princes and generals 
who passed through the city were curious to see 
her. There are still extant her first poems. She 
was full of fire, wit, and delicacy. Her dialogue in 
prose, entitled Dcbats de folie et d^amour, is a most 
ingenious allegory. Nicerne said of this lady, that 
she professed to be a courtesan, and would be paid 
for her favours ; but that having a regard for mea 
of genius, she would always receive them as friends, 
" Demosthenes,'' continues he, " had been very 
happy if the courtesan Lais had resembled her ; he 
would not then have made a useless journey to 
Corinth." There is another lady whom the Lyon- 
ese boast of being born in their city, Clemence de 
Bourges, surnamed La perle des demoiselles Lyon- 
iiaisesy who died of grief for the loss of her lover. 



59 

Some fine bridges have been built by order of 
Napoleon, displa3^ing much simplicity and elegance 
of structure. The city is commanded by two 
mountains, that of Fourvieres, on which, when first 
founded, it was built ; and that of St. Sebastian, 
which rises like an amphitheatre between the Saone 
and the Rhone. The women are in general well 
looking, but many of them have large throats.-— 
This peculiarit}^, as we approach the Alps, be- 
comes a dreadful disease. The beer of Lyons is 
very celebrated ; but, although the best we had 
tasted in France, we found it much inferior to what 
we have in England. French beer has, invariably, 
a smoky taste. The manufactures of Lyons consist 
chiefly of clothes of gold, silver, and silk, which 
are brought to such perfection, as to excite the ad- 
miration of strangers. These form the first class. 
Galloons, ribands, and lace, take the second ; and 
the hosiers, hatters, and booksellers, are reckoned 
in the third. To these are added the workers of 
gold thread, silk weavers, diers, &c. occupying 
altogether about 20,000 persons. * The whole po- 
pulation is reckoned at 150,000. 

The charms which nature has spread with profu- 
sion over the territory of Lyons, united to the en- 
gaging manners of its inhabitants, render it doubly 
attractive. Fully justified was the enthusiasm of a 
distinguished poet, who still admired it on his return 
from Italy. After having seen the alluring delights 
of the Tiber, and the majestic beauties of Rome, he 
exclaimed : 



60 

■^' En fin, je vous revois, o ma chere patrie, 
Lyon, temple sacre des arts, de i'industrie : 
Que mon ame est emue en parcourant desyeux 
Ces plainesj res coteaux heureux, 
Ces remparts, ce vaste rivage, 
Ces fleuves amans de ces bords : 
Qui de les embellir disputant I'avantage, 
Confondent a I'envi leurs flots et leurs transports." 

Voltaire has also addressed some lines to the inhabit- 
ants of this city. 

To reside here, in such a climate, surrounded by 
all the attractions of nature, united with the comforts 
of civilization, every object tending to produce that 
harmony of soul so much wished for — more could not 
be desired. But 1 doubt whether this would not be 
called voluptuousness ; and having greater objects in 
rieWj I must hasten on. 



61 



CHAPTER IV, 

CROSSING THE ALPS* 

^' We proceeded from Lyons to Turin. As we ad- 
vanced, the houses had the appearance of those we 
see in the Italian landscapes, having broad projecting 
roofs, and many are built like square towers. About 
four o'clock in the morning, we entered Tour du Pin* 
The market was crowded with people, selling butter 
and cheese. Leaving this place, the mountains of Sa- 
voy broke upon our view, interspersed with clouds. 
We soon after arrived at Pont Beauvoisin, where 
we were detained a long time by the Douanieres, 
this being the entrance to. the Sardinian dominions. 
An obvious change in the character of the people 
may here be observed. From Pont Beauvoisin we 
began to ascend the mountains, surrounded by every 
beauty of vegetation. The vineyards were luxuri- 
ant ; and we refreshed ourselves, in passing, with 
the fruit which oifered, such as walnuts, apples, 
pears, and plums. Those who are fond of the terri- 
fic beauties of nature, may here enjoy themselves ; 
and to the stranger, who has never before approach- 
ed the Alps, the lofty ridges of Savoy present a 
grand and novel sight. On entering the first de- 
file, the rocks above, the precipices below, the 
woods, the cascades, and the torrents form a coup 
d'ml gratifying in the extreme. The broken cliffs 



62 

appear as if rent asunder by some mighty convulsion 
of nature. Passing onwards, we entered the de- 
lightful valley of Echelles, in the midst of which 
rises the pretty village of that name ; the beauty of 
the scene it is impossible to describe. We now ap- 
proached a prodigious work, said to have been be- 
gun by Csesar, but executed principally by the order 
of Charles II. Duke of Savoy, in 1760. It is called 
the Grotto, and is a passage cut through the moun- 
tain to the length of five thousand yards, and in per- 
pendicular height above one hundred feet. It is suf- 
ficiently wide for two carriages to pass, and of gra- 
dual ascent. We viewed, with astonishment, the 
masses of rock which had been cut through. About 
halfway, there is a fine work of modern times. It 
is a complete tunnel, running in another direction, 
one thousand feet long and thirty-six feet high, cut 
by the order of Buonaparte for the convenient con- 
veyance of cattle. Workmen were employed night 
and day, for six years, in completing it. These rocks 
spoke praises of Napoleon ; and indeed I may ob- 
serve, that in the course of our journey, whatever 
we met with which was admirable, well contrived, or 
well regulated, it was Buonaparte's, and the Empe- 
ror was continually mentioned by the inhabitants. 
On leaving this pass, the mountains increase in 
height and the air becomes ct)ld ; but as we ap- 
proached Chambery it was milder. We passed a 
fine cascade, which falls one hundred and twenty 
feet. The country surrounding Chambery is very 
fertile and well cultivated. The great quantity (\f 



(33 

mulberry trees remuitls the traveller of the nirmber 
of silk-worms with which Savoy abounds. They, 
however, who exjject to see mulberries on the 
trees, will be disappointed, as they are cultivated 
onl}^ for the leaves ; and what will appear very sin- 
gular is, that a mulberry is rarely seen in these parts. 
From Chambery we passed to Mount Melian. The 
citadel is seen upon an eminence. We crossed the 
Isere, a rapid river, «nd then had the first sight of 
the snow-decked cliffs. On this side of Aiguibelle, 
the Arc joins the Isere, Aiguibelle is a village well 
situated. Near it are the ruins of a church and 
some houses which were destoyed by a sudden fall- 
ing of the earth and rocks from the top of the moun- 
tain. These accidents frequentlj^ occur in the Mau- 
rienne, where the snows accumulate, and the moun- 
tains being very high, while the valleys are narrow. 
The inhabitants are small in stature, and afflicted 
with goitres, which render them very deformed. 
The goitres are swellings in the neck, and in some 
are so large, that they hang upon their chest. 
Idiotism is also part of the disease. It is thought 
to be occasioned hy drinking the snow-water. In 
many parts are ruins of fortifications. After pass- 
ing La Chapelie, we walked a considerable way over 
a new road that was begun by Buonaparte, avoiding 
the old one, which, from its situation, was subject to 
avalanches. The awfulness and grandeur of the sur- 
rounding scenery were delightful, and there was no- 
thing to interrupt our thoughts but the roaring^of thi?- 
Arc. 



64 

St. Jean de Maurlenne is situated in the midst of* 
th^ highest Alps. From hence to Lanslebourg the 
road ascends continually, and the air becomes very 
cold. At St. Michel's, where we slept, the roar of 
waters lulled us to rest. Mount Cenis is forty miles 
from this place, the road being bordered on one side 
by mountains, and on the other by a torrent. In 
winter and during the melting of the snows, aval- 
anches arc greatly to be feared. Leaving JSt. Michel, 
tve continued on the banks of the river, which was 
more rapid as we advanced, and became at last a 
rushing torrent, the spray splashing in our faces. 
Here and there w^erc seen immense masses of rock 
opposing themselves ineffectually to the stream, 
whose velocity, increased by opposition, exhibited 
one continued foam. Mountains covered with snow, 
or whose heads v/ere lost in the clouds, rise on all 
sides, and display every fancied form ; while cas- 
cades, issuing from innumerable apertures, add to 
the bulk of the waters. We walked for many miles 
by the side of the torrent, alternately descending 
precipices or climbing the ragged cliffs, to enjoy 
different points of view. The road is excellent, and 
has a gentle ascent. The mountains, with few ex- 
ceptions, appear to be well cultivated, even to their 
summits. Near Lanslebourg the scenery is more 
wild, and the air more keen and bleak. The wo- 
men of Savoy are generally pretty, and have a sim- 
plicity of air and manner that is very pleasing. The 
chamois or goats are very common. 

From St. Andre to Bramante we saw the highest 



65 

summit of the Alps. The most elevated of all is 
Hount Blanc, being 15,662 feet. After passing 
Lanslebourg, we began to ascend Mount Cenis, and 
entered upon the road formed by the late Emperor. 
The genius of Napoleon seems to have inspired and 
produced superhuman efforts. Wherever his hand 
is seen, or his mind is concerned, we are astonished 
at the grandeur and prodigious magnitude of his 
ideas. The Alps, whose territic image has for ages 
excited the dread of man, have fallen before his 
power : no longer dressed in their former character, 
but covered with vegetation, they excite nothing 
but the most agreeable sensations. He has cut 
through some mountains, overturned others, filled 
up precipices, turned the course of torrents, form- 
ed bridges, and made roads of the most gentle ascent, 
which avoid all former dangers and inconveniences. 
On them the traveller moves with ease and delight, 
and hospitality every where prevails. Although he 
has been our enemy, every one in passing the Alps 
must think as 1 do, and will almost have a feeling of 
gratitude towards him, if they would honestly ex- 
press it ; for in these wonderful works, as in many 
others, he has been a benefit to the human 
race. 

In our approach to Mount Cenis, we sometimes 
ascended very high, while the mountains appeared 
still higher, and the torrent seemed lost in abysses 
below ; however, we gradually attained the top. 
There had been a heavy storm the preceding night, 
-and a great fall of snow, which covered the sur- 



m 

rounding summits.* Every one will be lost in ad- 
miration on seeing this grand road, winding up the 
side of the mountain in a serpentine line of a most 
easy ascent, flanked with stone and defended by 
posts and parapets. Twenty-eight houses are placed 
at certain distances by order of Buonaparte, to suc- 
<^our the distressed in case of need. Fires, beds, 
&c. are provided, together w^ith every necessary. 
The old route is still seen, and miserable it must 
have been to those who were obliged to pass by it. 
On the top of Mount Cenis, is a plain six miles long, 
covered with verdure ; and affording pasturage to 
cows, goats, and sheep. In the centre is a lake, 
two miles in diameter, which produces excellent 
trout. The post-house and an auberge are situated 
about the centre, as likewise a barrack ; and a little 
liigher is an hospice, built by order of the late Em- 
peror of the French, similar to that of Great St^ 
Bernard. We suffered much pain in our extremities 
from the cold. From the highest of these moun- 
tains, the plains of Piedmont are seen ; and from 
this spot, it is said, Hannibal showed his soldiers the 
fme country they were going to conquer. Mount 
Cenis, at the post, is 6251 feet above the level of 
the sea. The highest point is 9261 feet, an4 at the 
Grand Cross on the side of Italy 6022 feet. Natu- 
ralists will find much that is worthy of their atten- 
tion on Mount Cenis ; and in the various phenomena 
which present themselves* M. De Lalande has re- 

* August Qih. 



67 

marked, in the Alpine mountains, that the number 
of shells and other similar productions which they 
contain, support the theory and systems of many 
philosophers, and prove that even the highest moun- 
tains have been heretofore covered by the sea. 
From the Lake of Mount Cenis runs a rivulet, for 
about a mile and a half, when it forms a beautiful 
cascade, and then increasing in size to Suza, ad- 
vances to Turin, where it falls into the Po. After 
passing the Grand Cross, we descended by a fine road 
rather steep, which wound almost like a geometrical 
staircase : we crossed the same water-fall four or 
five times. Near this place are seen the remains 
of a falling of earth and rocks, which spread deso- 
lation for the space of two miles. They inspired a 
dreadful idea of such a catastrophe. The descent 
into Italy is beautiful : so delightfully does the road 
wind, that although descending from so great a 
height, we travelled with perfect ease, and serenely 
enjoyed the prospect before us. We afterwards 
passed the luxuriant valley of Suza. On viewing 
this delightful prospect, rich in every species of 
grain, in the most delicious fruits, with an atmos- 
phere soft and sweet, a clear and serene sky, we 
could not help exclaiming, this is surely *' a land 
flowing with milk and honey." 

The pass of Suza was defended by a Fort which 
is now demolished ; it w^as situated upon a little 
height, and cut into the rock. This place is cele- 
brated by the death of the Chevalier de Belleisle, 
who perished in 1747, a victim to his courage. Suz^ 



68 

iS the first city in Piedmont. Tradition tells us, 
that Hercules passed here to penetrate into Gaul ; 
and that it was by this place also that Hannibal ef- 
fected his entrance into Italy. There is a triumphal 
arch in honour of Augustus, which still preserves 
th'3 beautiful proportions and taste of Roman archi- 
tecture. Suza owes its origin to a Roman colony 
which established itself under the reign of Augustus, 
who wished to open a road into Dauphiny, From 
hence to Turin is forty miles. We descended a 
little, and then entered on a plain between two 
mountains, until within a few miles of Turin. This 
plain is watered by the Dora Ripuaria, or Little 
Dora, to distinguish it from the Great Dora in the 
valley of Aoste. We now saw the vine united to the 
elm, and the earth covered with corn and mulberry 
trees. On entering Rivoli, we purchased four 
pounds of fine grapes for seven sous, and twenty- 
eight Burgundy pears for two sous. Fruit is plenti- 
ful here. Apples, pears, walnuts, and chestnuts may 
be plucked in passing, and peaches, apricots, plums, 
grapes, &c. are abundant, and very cheap. The 
road from Rivoli to Turin is straight, bordered on 
each side by trees, and in the midst of a beautiful 
plain. It is intersected by innumerable canals, dug 
expressly to spread the waters of the Dora. This 
is the commencement of the rich plain of Lombardy, 
which extends to Venice. 



fr9 



CHAPTER V. 

TURIN : ALESSANDRIA AND GENOA. 

Turin is one of the finest cities in Italy. It is 
situated almost at the foot of the Alps, in a fine plain 
watered by the Fo, and in the place where that 
river receives the Dora Ripuaria. It is surrounded 
by good walls and a deep ditch, and was one of the 
best fortified places in Europe : the works are now 
all destroyed. It is celebrated for the many sieges 
it has sustained, and for its territory being the thea- 
tre of so many battles. The houses are grand, and 
built with great regularity, the streets being all at 
right angles with each other. Although, from that 
circumstance, it may, after a time, appear some- 
what monotonous ; yet it has an air of magnificence, 
and was certainly the handsomest city we had seen. 
The castle is a noble pile, and stands in the centre 
of a large square, called Piazza Castella. All the 
buildings have a clean appearance ; and although 
the architecture cannot boast of much taste, either 
in its formation, or in the distribution of its orna- 
ments, yet, altogether, the city has a fine effect. — 
Many of the houses are profusely ornamented, and 
almost all are adorned with Fresco painting, some 
scriptural, some heathen subjects, and numbers re- 
presenting balconies, terraces, kc, well executed. 
The chu;-ches abo have much ornament. They use 



70 

ihe marble of Suza, which resembles the verde an- 
iique^ the blue marble of Piedmont, and others of 
ditlerent colours, from the quarries of Geneva and 
Dauphiny. Nature has been lavish to this coimtry 
in the tinest marbles ; but she has not bestow^ed upon 
it a Bramante, a Buonorotti, a Vasari, or a Palladio. 
The bread here is of a much better quality than in 
France. Ice is served at tal3le, brought from the 
neighbouring Alps, and of so pure a quality, that it 
is*6omfnon to put it into the w4ne to cool it before 
drinking, and by dissolving there, it consequently 
becomes a part of the beverage. The manufactory 
for silk is in full vigour at Turin. The silk stock- 
ings are highly prized. The citadel is now orna- 
mented with rows of trees, which form a promenade 
for the inhabitants. 

The fogs, which often arise from the Po and the 
Dora, in autumn and winter, render the air thick 
and humid in those seasons ; while on the contrary, 
in the spring and summer, there is often no rain for 
months. Indeed, as we advanced in Italy, we found 
this very general ; for we passed over the bottoms 
of many rivers which were dried up, in conse- 
quence of the long drought. The surrounding 
country produces abundance of all sorts of provisions. 
Turin is about three miles in circumference. It is 
the capital of Piedmont, and was, when united to 
France, one of the principal cities of the empire. — 
The king of Sardinia, who resides here, is not 
n^uch respected by the people, who take every op- 
portunity of ridiculing him. I "sh^lj have occasion 



71 

to speak more of his qualities and government here- 
after. 

Alessandria is a day's journey from Turin. The 
beauty of the country continues through an agree- 
able and fertile plain, covered with grain, vines, and 
good pasturage. In advancing towards Astiy we 
passed in the middle of some hills, from whence flow 
limpid rivulets, which contribute to increase the Ta- 
naro. 

Alessandria della Paglia, upon the Tanaro^ is cele- 
brated in the history of the wars in Italy, from the 
number of sieges it has sustained. It has a strongly 
fortified citadel, considered the best in Italy, and so 
improved under Napoleon, as to be called the first 
rampart of the empire. Here is another of his 
grand w^orks, a bridge leading from the citadel to the 
city, covered in, and having machines to let down 
over the arches, hy which all the ditches are filled. 
Since the legitimates 'have returned, much of reli- 
gious mummery takes place, and processions of 
monks with lighted torches, &c. are every where 
met with, and the bells are continually tolling. Soon 
after our arrival, one of these processions passed, 
chanting for a sick person ; it was a heterogeneous 
assemblage, but the manner of their singing was so- 
lemn and affecting. The interior of the houses are 
elegant, the chambers having coved ceilings, and 
ornamented with Fresco painting. We saw pass 
above six hundred men in chains, being desert- 
ers, robbers, &c. returning from their daily task. 
The plain of Marengo is near here, where the cele- 



72 

brated battle was fought, when Buonaparte conquer- 
ed the Austrians, and in which General Dessaix was 
killed. 

We observed, as we approached southward, that 
there was little or no twilight. Oxen perform all 
the agricultural work, and were used in the market- 
carts, and for every purpose except posting. The 
asses are much larger here than on our side the 
Alps. Novi is the first city of Liguria ; it is situ- 
ated at the foot of the Appenmes, and is the de- 
pository of all the merchandise which comes from 
the Levant, in its passage into Germany and Lorn- 
bardy. Here the wealthy Genoese come to reside 
in the autumn. The figs were at this time ripe^ 
and of a delicious flavour. We afterwards entered 
on the Genoese Appenines : as we ascended, the 
air felt cold and damp. On passing the Bocchettay 
the luxuriance of the adjacent country was delight- 
ful. The villages are pretty ; and we enjoyed a 
prospect rich in every variety of hill, dale, and 
vegetation. From the highest point we had a first 
sight of the city of Genoa, and the Mediterranean 
Sea spread itself before us. The buildings in the 
suburbs are magnificent. They are adorned with 
Fresco painting, even to the walls of the gardens^ 
The vines entwine round the elm, and in some 
places are carried over the road, forming a canopy 
to the passing traveller. The road is so extremely 
bad across these mountains, that it was some time 
before we recovered from the effects of the exces- 
sive jolting. 



73 

We entered Genoa, called, by distinction, la su^ 
perha. The Genoese appear a noble and inde- 
pendent race. They have more the appearance of 
gentlemen (and by that I mean Englishmen) than 
any we had yet met with on the Continent. The 
women also reminded us of those of our own coun- 
try, and still more so from their dress being in ge- 
neral white. They are finely formed, noble in 
carriage, a full size, have good features, and spark* 
ling eyes ; but they want that mark of health, the 
carnation bloom, which distinguishes the British 
fair. The streets were so crowded with them on 
our entry, that we might have supposed the popu- 
lation to be entirely of women. They were pro- 
ceeding to the promenade. The Genoese appear 
to retain all their ancient spirit, and- nothing seems 
to gall them so much as being under the Sardinian 
government, which they detest. The Piedmontese 
and the Genoese have always been at enmity with 
each other ; and being now placed under the same 
king, the whole of the odium falls on his Sardinian 
Majesty. The Genoese say they should glory m 
being under the British government; but, tied down 
under those who know not how to appreciate them, 
they suffer the most odious impositions and exac- 
tions. The city is filled with troops, as if it were 
a besieged town ; and the rattling of drums is heard 
from morning till night. They say that there are 
more troops than can be paid ; and if it were not 
from the fear of an English fleet, they would expel 
the whole of them in twenty-four hours. The sol- 



74 

diers are openly insulted, the government is exe- 
crated, and so little respect have they for the king, 
that a man carrying his bust along the street, was 
offered by three different persons, fifty and a hun- 
dred livres each, to let them throw a stone at it. 
Such is the present state of Genoa, worthy of being 
a colony and an ally of England. 

The English are described as suffering more re- 
strictions than any other nation ; and we found from 
our own experience under the Piedmontese go- 
vernment, more delays and exactions from the po- 
lice and its other officers than in any other state. 
"In Genoa the police and the various consuls play 
into each other's hands, so that each may have his 
>share of the plunder of the traveller. The police 
said, it was necessary our passports should be 
viewed by the consul for the two Sicilies, although 
we were going to Leghorn. The consul of the two 
Sicilies (who, by the bye, was a talkative woman 
left in charge of the office, and no doubt was a 
suitable representative of that government) would 
not sign it without we paid eighteen francs for 
each ; and until this vvas done the mayor refused 
lis a bill of health. In this dilemma we were un- 
der the necessity of applying to our worthy consul 
Mr. Stirling, a man whose gentlemanly and concili- 
ating character must excite the admiration of every 
one, and who, if I may use the expression, is adored 
by the Genoese. It is quite delightful to find in- 
Genoa, where the English are really loved, a man 
^0 capable of supporting the character and interests 



i J 

t*f ills country : the whole cily resounds with his 
praise. Kuowirig that there was no nece'ssity for 
our passports being seen by the consul for Naples, 
he obligingly wrote for ns to the police, who made 
an alteration, but not an effectual one ; and after 
sending backwards and forwards several times, and 
the delay of two days, we at last got it completed. 
It is a pleasing reilection that while the consuls of 
other nations endeavour to fleece all who come 
near them, the English consulate disdains to receive 
fees. Mr. Stirling's polite reception of us was par- 
ticularly gratifying. He is an Irishman, and evinced 
that urbanity of character and hospitality which arc 
the characteristics of his country. 

The first morning after our arrival w^e were 
awoke very early (about four o'clock) by a tremen- 
dous noise of human voices, which we found to arise 
from between three and four hundred Jabourers talk- 
ing under our windows, being the place of their as- 
semblage previously to the labour of the dsij. We 
understood that there were nearly seven hundred of 
these men, who were principally employed in con- 
veying corn to and from the vessels. They were 
described as a hardy and a most faithful race. We 
experienced their readiness to serve us on many oc- 
casions. In the heat of the day they are seen lying 
at full length in all the shaded avenues ; and the 
stairs and passages of the hotels and palaces are 
crowded with them. On the quay they have mats t^ 
protect them from the heat of the sun. The colour 
of their flesh is beautiful, and forms a most admira 



76 

ble study for the historical painter. The shops were 
all set out by six in the morning, and there was one 
street filled with jewellers, displaying all kinds of 
fanciful works in gold, beautifully manufactured. 
There are only a few principal streets where car- 
riages can drive ; the others are narrow alleys, 
through w^hich persons pass on foot, and con- 
reyances of goods are made upon mules or asses. 
The houses and palaces have a magnificent 
appearance ; the exterior being painted, and the 
interior adorned with sculpture in high relief. There 
is a general sort of taste displayed every where ; 
but the Genoese were never eminent in the fine arts. 
The interior of the church of St. Lorenzo had an 
imposing appearance : the pillars and pilasters were 
covered with crimson damask velvet and gold, and 
some parts were richly embroidered, the whole be- 
ing prepared for high mass. The church of Carig- 
nano is something like St. Paul's, but much smaller. 
The bridge of that nanie, which leads to the church, 
is built over a street. The tops of houses, high in 
themselves, are seen considerably below the arch 
of the bridge. The inhabitants of different countries 
have various ways of ending their lives, when in a 
state of despondenc3^ The English terminate their 
existence with a pistol ; but the Genoese precipitate 
themselves from this bridge, and thus enter into 
''that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no 
traveller returns." The view from the top of the 
ichurch is very beautiful, commanding the whole of 
Genoa, which rises before you an amphitheatre of 



stone. In Ae walls of many churches are seen, 
riveted, links of chains of extraordinary size, pre- 
served as trophies of victory over the Vene'tians, 
being parts of their gates. All that we saw remind- 
ed us of the former power of Genoa ; but the Ge- 
noese citizens, with whom we conversed, although 
evincing in themselves an independence of spirit, 
siich as we do not often meet with on the Conti- 
nent, told us that Genoa was now but a shadow of its 
former self: they lamented they, were betrayed by 
those for w^iom they had the greatest respect, and 
assured us it was only under a solemn promise their 
independence should be recognised, that they ad- 
mitted the English troops, in spite, how^ever^, of 
this, they were delivered into the power of a nar- 
row-minded tyranny. It is painful to hear our coun- 
try, whose character has stood so high, thus charged 
with a breach of faith. However, there is some 
satisfaction that they seem to know from whence it 
springs, and make a distinction between the ministers 
of our great empire and its people. We were great- 
ly indebted to the friendship of a Genoese merchant, 
who, as he told us, for the love he bore the Eng- 
lish, in which he was joined by the whole city, 
wished to pay us every possible attention. I shall 
now proceed to relate the delights of an Italian feu- 
lucca. 



78 
CHAPTER VL 

THE FEULUCCA5 LEGHORN, AND PISA. 

Having determined to proceed to Leghorn by sea, 
we were advised to go by a feulucca ; and, without 
knowing exactly the sort of vessel which was to con- 
vey us, we engaged our passage in one that was to 
sail by the first wind. After waiting two or three 
days, we were told the wind was fair ; and, all our 
luggage being stowed on board, we proceeded to the 
quay. Our friend, the Genoese merchant, to whose 
kind services we were much indebted, attended our 
embarkation. The ceremony of taking leave exci- 
ted no little surprise in some who were unacquaint- 
ed with the custom. The conjunction of noses, and 
the feeling a rough beard where softer cheeks usual- 
ly dwell, certainly appeared very strange. How- 
ever, it was meant in the sincerity of friendship, 
and, as such, submitted to with a good grace ; 
though it was the subject of much merriment after- 
waMs. We then entered the Italian feulucca, and 
the reader may conceive us on the Mediterranean 
Sea, just emerging from the gulf of Genoa, the sun 
setting in splendour behind the maritime Alps. Eve- 
ry one will recollect, who has read Peregrine Pickle, 
the dinner given by the doctor at Paris, and the 
mode of laying themselves along to enjoy the repast. 
However ludicrous and inconvenient that might be^ 



79 

it was nothing when compared to our accommoda- 
tion. The feulucca is a large boat with a space ia 
the centre, boarded over, and the whole covered in 
with hoops and a tarpaulin. Under this, and on - 
these boards, the passengers recline, (for it :s hard- 
ly possible to sit up,) supported by their portman- 
teaus or any thing they can get Perceiving some 
shrugs and other uneasy indications in some of our 
fellow voyagers, we suspected they were not over 
clean. At last, one of them making several darts 
with his fingers at different parts of his dress, he 
very obligingly took a flea from his neighbour's cra- 
vat, and at once discovered the cause of those move- 
ments, and the object of his search. Our situation, 
then, may be imagined, crowded in a small boat 
witbout the possibility of escaping from this* species 
of annoyance, with which we very soon found our- 
selves fully occupied. 

Night having set in, the padrone (as the owner of 
the vessel is called) produced, for those who paid 
for the accommodation so high as we did, mattresses 
and blankets, and with them myriads of fleas. To 
free ourselves from the latter was impossible ; for, 
after every unavailing attempt, *' new legions on new 
legions rose." We were soon well bitten from top to 
toe ; " sleep, nature's soft nurse, was frighted, and 
refused to weigh our eyelids down in sweet forget- 
fulness." For four days and nights we were in 
absolute torment. 

As we advanced towards Porto Fino the rocks 
were very high and bold, and there appeared n© 



80 

chance of escaping if shipwrecked. In the course of 
the night we observed under these rocks boats with 
blazing fires, this being the mode adopted for catch- 
ing a kind of fish about the size of salmon, which are 
attracted to the boat by the light, when the men dart 
spears into them. After sailing briskly all night, we 
found ourselves in the morning returning to Porto 
Fino, having been driven back -by contrary winds. 
This place is inhabited by fishermen, and seems, 
irom the hills which surround it, to be separated 
from all communication except by sea. Our break- 
fast was fried fish and coffee. Being detained here 
the whole day, we wandered among the rocks, from 
the top of which there is a fine view of the Mediter- 
ranean. The water in the harbour is beautifully 
clear, and ail along the Etrurian coast it has the 
same transparency, with a colour equal to the 
brightest ultra-marine. A breeze springing up the 
next morning, we set sail, and made Porto di Ve- 
nere the following day. There also we landed, it 
being a day for the celebration of some fete, and the 
sailors were desirous of attending it. From Porto 
di Venere the Appenines line the coast, presenting a. 
fine appearance ; their tops capped with clouds, and 
their bases running into the sea. 

Although our voyage was tedious^ we were en- 
livened at times by the singing of the padrone, who 
had great power of execution. In the course of 
conversation with the passengers, we were told 
that we should find the Italians universally in fa- 
vour of Napoleon^ and they certainly expressed 



81 

their sentiments much more openly than in France, 
It was astonishing to us, as Englishmen, to find how 
little information the people of Italy or France had 
of what was transacting in other parts of the globe. 
They inquired when Buonaparte died, and when we 
informed them that he was still alive at St. Helena, ' 
they repeated the information among themselves, 
then shook their heads, and assured us that we were 
deceived by our ministers, for that he died in Eng- 
land. It was delightful to hear this distinction al- 
ways preserved between the ministers and the 
people. Fatigued and disgusted, we gladly landed 
at Leghorn, the fourth evening after our departure 
from Genoa. From many travellers, with whom 
we afterwards conversed, we understood the gene- 
ral character of the feuluccas to be such as I have 
described. 

Leghorn is a free port, and displays all the con- 
sequent bustle and activity. We felt much gratified 
in our reception. The moment we were known to 
be English, the examination of our passports was 
dispensed with ; ' at the same, time, it was politely 
signified that we might go where we pleased. After 
all the vexations and obstructions we had experi-* 
enced, and more particularly under the Sardinian 
government, we once more felt that we were Eng- 
lishmen. Our first' inquiry was for a bath, to which 
we hastened. 

The whole of the pavement of Leghorn being of 
flat stones, it was a luxury to walk on them ; and 
the coaches, which are very light, and drawn only 



82 

■hy one horse, glide along the streets with e<iae and 
celerity. The city was in more than usual gayety 
on our arrival, the Princess of Austria having just 
arrived on her way to the Brazils. Previously to. 
our landing, we observed a large ship of war at 
anchor, Surrounded by boats, and many passing to 
and from the land, decorated with colours. It was 
the vessel intended for the conveyance of the Prin- 
cess, who had already embarked. A gentleman who 
had been aboard, described it as having the appear- 
ance of Noah's Ark, from the quantity of live stock, 
and stores of all sorts of provisions. The smell 
arising from these was beyond endurance ; and un- 
less the olfactory nerves of the Princess were very 
strong, she would be overpowered by the congre- 
gated odours. Her cabin was fitted up as gay as 
silk, satin, velvet, and gold could make it ; but 
the dirt seen every where was disgusting. He was 
wrong, perhaps, in speaking in such strong terms ; 
for an Englishman who has never seen Vienna 
can have no idea what German luxury may be. 

Leghorn is a mod^*rn city, its port is one of the 
best in Italy, and it is indebted for its origin to the 
family of the Medici. A part is intersected by 
canals, and is called New Venice, being a great 
convenience for the landing of merchandise. 

The women, in general, wear large flat bonnets, 
adorned with plumes of feathers, placed on one side 
of the head or negligently thrown on their backs. 
It gives them a st^'le that is very pleasing. Plaving 
entered now into the heart of Italy, the appella^ 



83 

lion of Signor is much more general. ^' Si, Signor^^ 
is the affirmative to every question asked, and whe- 
ther from its novelty or its harmony, the sound was 
very agreeable to our ears. It has certainly not 
the abruptness of " Yes, Sir," nor the hardness of 
sound in " Out, Monsieur. '^^ This was the only 
place, during our journey, where we enjoyed the 
luxury of knives that would cut, and they were of 
English manufacture. There is a monument oh 
one of the quays erected to Ferdinand the First, 
with four slaves, in bronze, at the base : the figure 
of Ferdinand is colossal, miserably executed in mar- 
ble ; but two of the slaves in bronze are finely de- 
signed. 

All the post-horses being engaged for the return 
of the suite of the Princess of Austria, who had just 
embarked for the Brazils, we passed to Pisa by the 
Vetturini, and arrived there in two hours. On each 
side the road, the vines, laden with fruit, spread 
their luxuriant foliage, forming festoons from one 
tree to another. Pisa is traversed by the Arno, 
which divides it into almost two equal parts, having 
three bridges. With this city we were delighted. 
The phenomenon of the leaning tower, the splen- 
dour and richness of decoration of the cathedral 
and 'of the baptistry, the paintings, the sculpture, 
and the architecture displayed there, and in the 
Campo Santo, are truly gratifying, and form an as- 
semblage of beauties well w^orthy of the ^traveller 's 
notice. To begin with the leaning tower. Whe- 
ther it arose from accident or design, I know not, 



8i 

but it is a most wonderful work. It is a round tower 
of eight stories of pillars, 180 feet high, inclining 
so much out of the perpendicular, that the top 
projects fifteen feet over the base. The way up 
to the top is by a circular flight of steps within, of 
so gentle an ascent, that it is said a horse could 
mount with ease. In going up, the inclination of 
the tower is found to be considerable, but in coming 
down still more so. It appears, on the upper side, 
as if you were ascending, and, on the lower side, 
you feel as if you would fall headlong. On the top 
it has a fearful slant ; and, but for the iron railing 
which surrounds it, few would venture to trust them- 
selves there. The base on the lower side appears 
sunk in the ground above six feet. It is built of mar- 
ble, and has stood more than six hundred years with- 
out fissure or decay, having been raised in 11 74. It is 
supposed to have sunk, when built, as high as the 
fifth story, and the architect had the boldness, and 
the skill, to complete it in the direction it had taken. 
One of my fellow travellers thought he discovered 
that, from the fifth story, it took a more vertical 
line ; but I could find no deviation of the inclined 
line from the base to the top. It is said, likewise, 
that the pillars on the leaning side were of great- 
er elevation ; but this does not appear founded in 
fact. Its form and proportions are graceful. 

The cathedral was built in 1003, upon the ruins, 
it is said, and with tjie materials, of a palace of 
Aurelian. Its pillars are of various coloured mar- 
bles, granite, porphyry, &.C., and some from a tem- 
ple of Nero. It is composed^ indeed, of treasurer 



85 

brought from various parts of the world by the vic- 
torious Pisanese ; w^ho, at one time, commanded 
Carthage, Naples, SiciJy, Sardinia, Elba, &c. &c. 
Pisa is decorated with their spoils. Over the choir 
is a representation in mosaic of Jesus and two Ma- 
rys, sixty feet high. The altar is composed of lapis 
lazuli, verde antique, kc, &c. The bronze gates 
are beautifully sculptured by John of Bologna. 
There are also several statues executed by him. 
In the front is some exquisite Egyptian sculp- 
ture. The interior is decorated with many ex- 
cellent paintings by Andrea del Sarto. The bap- 
tistry, which was raised at the public expense, 
is a detached building, and serves for the whole 
city. It is adorned also with Egyptian sculp- 
ture beautifully executed. The reading desk is 
supported by polished pillars of Elba granite, por- 
phyry, and other curious marbles. The echo of 
this place is grand. 

The Campo Santo, an elegant and magnifi- 
cent cemetery, was the common burial place of 
the city. It contains some of the earliest speci- 
mens of Etruscan, Grecian, and Egyptian sculp- 
ture, and is adorned with paintings in fresco by 
Giotto and Cimabue. Among the busts are those 
of Achilles, Brutus, and Hadrian. A quantity of 
earth was brought to this place from the Holy 
Land, from which it derives its name. There is 
an excellent botanical garden ; and I must not omit 
to observe, that the celebrated tower is shown, 
where Count Ugolino and his four sons were starved 

8 



m 

10 death, and which is so beautifully and affectingly 
described by Dante, in his Inferno.^ Near Pisa is 
an aqueduct seven niiles in length, and some baths. 
The origin of Pisa is supposed to have been anterior 
to the Trojan war. It is certainly the naost ancient 
city of Etruria. 



• Canto 33d. 



87 



CHAPTER Vli, 

FROM PISA TO ROME. 

As there is no mode of conveyance in Italy but 
by post, or the Vetturini, we fixed upon the former 
as the most expeditious. It was requisite therefore 
to buy a carriage ; and one of my companions pos- 
sessing the necessary knowledge, the purchase of 
one was left to him. Unfortunately, however, there 
was a small oversight, which was the cause of much 
trouble, vexation and delay ; and might have beeu 
attended with very serious consequences. The par- 
ticulars I shall soon have occasion to notice. As 
our great object was Rome, we intended travelling 
night and day by the shortest road. From the simi- 
larity of scenery, I often fancied myself journeying 
in England ; but a clear sky, a burning sun, and 
abundance of delicious fruits, reminded me I was 
not in my native land. Near La Scala is the village 
of St. Miniato, the residence of the ancestors of 
Napoleon. Towards evening we arriv^ed at Sienna, 
a celebrated city of Tuscany, situated on the sum- 
mit of a mountain. It appears to have been built on 
the crater of a volcano, being subject to earth- 
quakes ; that of 1798, damaging most of its edifices, 
it is in the middle of beautiful hills, and the views 
from it are delightful. 

On our arrival there was a grand annual fete cele- 



88 

brating in honour of the Virgin. The city appeared, 
on our entrance, to be deserted ; but soon after we 
saw the inhabitants in their best attire returning in 
crowds from the place of justing, there having been 
a tournament. Many of them were dressed in the 
Roman costume, with the tunic, toga, helmet, &c. 
The victors in these games were led in triumph, 
followed by trains of carriages full of ladies decked 
with feathers and the gayest ornaments. The whole 
^ity seemed to be preparing for the evening's enter- 
tainments, and the people at our inn said they 
should be up all night. Being taken excessively ill, 
I found it was impossible for me to proceed that night, 
and this accident stopped our progress for a few 
hours. On retiring to rest the street still continued 
in bustle and gayety ; and we were alternately en- 
livened by serenades, or by the chanting of parties 
at a shrine of the Virgin, opposite our windows, in 
which the people occasionall}^ joined. There is 
certainly something very delightful in the catholic 
religion ; every where there appears so much har- 
mony among its members. They really seem to be 
what we should always be, like brothers and sis- 
ters. The intervals of quiet which succeeded these 
bursts of melody, gave me some moments for re- 
flection. 

I love to consider myself at times as an isolated 
being ; to abstract my thoughts so from the world, 
that, although my body may feel all the inconveni- 
ences attached to mortality, my soul may wing its 
flight in the ethereal space, and wander in. the 



89 



regions of fancy. These moments, perhaps, are 
the most delightful of our existence. When from 
this eminence I view the ball from which I have 
sprung, and which looks but as a spot in the vast 
space ; how insignificant do the movements of the 
little animals, its inhabitants, appear : like an ant- 
hill, where you see its inmates in constant bustle 
and ferment, scrambling over each other, and very 
often fighting for a straw ! I am inclined to think 
that the movements of the latter, although partly in- 
explicable to a common spectator, have more of wis- 
dom in them than those of men. At moments like 
these, the folly of human pursuits is seen, as well 
as the necessity for inquiring into the object of our 
creation, which few know or care about. The 
people of the earth fatigue themselves most unneces- 
sarily, and render their lives doubly bitter by their 
own weakness, in pursuing objects in themselves 
perfectly insignificant. In no instance is this more 
fully seen than in their disputes on religion. They 
quarrel with each other as to what form they shall 
adopt to address the Deity. They all agree in ac- 
Jinowledging an Almighty God, and in reverencing 
a Supreme Being ; but it is in the manner of wor- 
ship they disagree ; and in support of their different 
opinions all the irascible passions are called forth, 
and they often display towards each other an ani- 
mosity truly inhuman ; as if that which is the most 
simple and reverential would not be the most ac- 
ceptable. 

As long as the world exists there naturally will be 
8^ 



90 

a diversity of opinion ; but, if they agree upon the 
principal point, that there is a (jod by whom they 
exist and to whom they are all indebted, and conse- 
quently, to whom they are to pay their adorations* 
why should there be mutual hatred, because the 
manner in which the Creator is adored may vary ? 
If each would enjoy his own opinion, and study to 
promote love rather than dissention, the happiness 
of all would be consulted ; and they would be do- 
ing more to render themselves acceptable in the 
sight of God, than by bigotry and persecution. 

There are many other instances that might be 
pointed out, which display the insanity rather 
than the wisdom of our boasted species, and to 
one who views them from above, equally ridi- 
culous. But it is time I should descend from the 
clouds. 

During the evening, parties of four, five, and six, 
were continually passing, singing with the most beau- 
tiful harmony ; and several times in the night I was 
awoke by the concord of sweet sounds. 

The road from Sienna to Rome is one of the worst 
in Italy, independently of its being infested by 
robbers, and that a great part of the inhabitants are 
a lawless set. The barren mountains and dreary 
wastes that we had to pass, the continual rising and 
falling in the roads, added to their bad fttate, were 
of themselves sufficient to render our progress dis- 
agreeable. Setting off early next morning, before 
we arrived at the second post one of the wheels of 
our carriage came off. Upon examinatioD;-. the 



91 

wonder was how it had remained on so long, being 
only tacked to the axle-tree with a piece of leather. 
The villany of the post-master who sold it to us, 
and who had pronounced it road-worthy, was the 
first specimen we had of Italian duplicity. We 
procured assistance from a blacksmith at a neigh- 
bouring village, who undertook to remedy the de- 
fect. Here we were detained some hours ; and I 
took the opportunity of examining the faulty part, 
that in case of further accident I might know what 
to do. The iron that was taken off appearing good, 
I took care of it, which afterwards proved to be a 
fortunate foresight. The blacksmith charged us ex- 
orbitantly, and w^e again set oif. The inns on this 
road are wretched ; at many places we could only 
get sour bread, bad wine and worse cheese ; neither 
fruit nor coffee could be obtained. The country 
now presented a different scene, being very hilly 
and of a barren appearance. Soon after passing 
La Poiderini we again broke down, the new iron 
giving way. The postilions, from ignorance or de- 
sign, could not assist ; and neither myself nor my 
fellow travellers knew what to do. Being a con- 
siderable distance from any inhabited place, in this 
dilemma, having before examined the nature of the 
fractured part, with a few nails that were hardly long 
enough, and the piece of iron I had saved, I made 
an essay at coach-mending ; and as well as the na- 
ture of the materials would admit, made a job of it. 
We again advanced, and towards evening began to 
asceiad the mountain of Radicofani, which; with 



92 

the surrounding country, is full of banditti. Our 
postilions indeed appeared of that class ; and they 
seemed to view our shattered equipage with malici- 
ous smiles. Villany appeared lurking in their eyes 
and playing on their lips, as if they considered us a 
marked booty for them. The prospect was dreary. 
There had been corn on the land, but it now ap-* 
peared a waste of marl : it has much of the volcanic 
character. The hills rising around us were some 
crowned with castles, some with clouds. As we 
ascended it grew cooler and cooler, and the gather- 
ing clouds obscured the sun. Passing some ruins of 
houses where we were informed the brigands lay in 
wait, we approached the summit, on which is an 
old castle, and changed horses at the barracks situ- 
ated just below, placed there to protect the country. 
We continued our journey with additional anxiety, 
lest the carriage should again break in the fearful 
descents which we had to make. The view from 
the top of the hill was very grand, but at this time 
appeared solemn and dreary. The moon, which 
was in its second quarter, was continually obscured, 
and at last sunk below the horizon. Darkness now 
set in upon us, and our descent became fearful and 
terrific. It continued for miles, alternately on 
rugged roads, by the sides of dreadful precipices, 
or on the uneven beds of currents, whose waters 
no longer flowed. Just as we had descended a steep 
declivity we were overturned. Here then we were, 
among dreary mountains, infested with banditti, 
darkness surrounding us, excepting when th^ light- 



93 

ning flashed ; no assistance, no house for miles ; the 
postilions ejaculating, and our valet miserably la- 
menting. How often at this time did I look to catch 
a glimpse of the north star, and think on those I held 
most dear. I silently imagined what they would say 
if they knew mj situation. Again I attempted to 
mend the wheel ; but after proceeding a few paces 
it fell. We then tied it ; the ropes broke ; the 
horses plunged, one of the postilions was thrown, 
and he, the horses, and the carriage, lay in a heap 
together. 

There is a little animal in Italy, a species of 
grasshopper, which is always heard at night, and 
the cry of which very often approaches to a frightful 
shriek. At this moment they added new terrors to 
our situation ; for, sounding from every side, it ap- 
peared as if they were signals, and that we should 
be assailed by brigands from all quarters. There 
was now no prospect but of remaining here all night, 
subject to these inconveniences. The postilions, 
swearing they should be assassinated, threatened to 
leave us, and to take the horses. However, by 
threats and persuasions ^ they were at last induced to 
remain. We tied the wheel again with more suc- 
cess ; sent the valet forward, and then moved slow- 
ly on. After walking four miles, we came to a hut, 
where the servant had procured lights and some 
good nails. It again fell to my lot to mend, and 
which 1 now did effectually. At half past twelve at 
night we arrived at Acquapendente, tired, sleepy, 
and cold, twelve miles from the place of our last ac- 



94 

cident. Our valet described the inhabitants to be 
ioutes voleurs, and before they parted with us they 
endeavoured to merit that character. 1 confess I 
should have been very sorry to have been without 
pistols. 

The evening was succeeded by a most lovely 
morning. Acquapendente is situated high, the air 
keen, the scenery wild and dreary. The carriage 
being thoroughly repaired, after paying most exorbi- 
tantly for that and every thing we had, with no ap- 
peal, we took our departure for Rome. The En- 
glish have the credit for riches from one end of the 
Continent to the other, and are always considered 
fair objects for plunder and extortion : this is not 
confined to the innkeeper and his dependants in Italy, 
but is practised by the police, the guards, the cus- 
tom-house officers, and, although last not least, the 
post-masters and postilions ; all in succession assail 
3^ou, and will even use threats if they think they can 
frighten you. 

On the road to St. Laurent, we passed natural ca- 
verns in the rocks and artificial grottos, that have 
served equally for the retreats of the shepherds and 
of the brigands, for the stowage of instruments of 
agriculture as well as for the hiding-places of wea- 
pons of destruction. Bolsena is built on the ruins of 
the ancient Volcinium, one of the principal cities of 
Etruria, and the capital of the Volcians ; it is now a 
miserable village. We coasted along the fine lake 
of Bolsena, which is near thirty miles in circumfe- 
rence. There arc on it two small islands inhabited. ' 



95 



It is supposed that this lake was the crater of a vol- 
cano. There are few parts of Italy which offer more 
delightful points of view than the environs of Bolse- 
na. The air here is particularly fine. The road to 
Montefiascone is through a thick wood which has 
never been cut, and hence much respected for its 
rare antiquity. Montefiascone is situated on the top 
of a mountain, a very peculiar feature in Italian sce- 
nery. At a distance it has the appearance of a large 
city ; it is celebrated for its wines, and above all for 
the Muscatel wine : this was the most pleasant we 
had lasted in Italy. There is a fine view from this 
city, and it commands a great extent of territory. 

Viterbo is celebrated for its iron : it is a large 
town, and is wholly paved with pieces of lava from 
four to eight feet long. Pisa, Genoa, and many 
other Italian cities are paved with lava, which is 
quite luxurious to the feet, after the sharp pebbles 
with which we meet in most of the continental 
towns. In descending the mountain to Ronciglione, 
we coasted the Lake of Vico. The country has a 
gloomy and barren appearance, and agriculture ap- 
pears almost entirely neglected. Between Monte- 
rosi and Boccano, driving along the Roman pave- 
ment, we were again overturned, by the hind wheel 
coming off, the linch-pin having been certainly sto- 
len at the last place where we changed horses ; here 
also we had the misfortune to lose one of our pistols. 
Again we were righted, and making use of a piece 
of wood for a pin, we continued our course. The 
patrimony of St. Peter, although the soil is good, is 



96 



universally neglected, and the Compagna di Roma^ 
in particular, is almost deserted. 

From Boccano we perceived the cross of St. Pe- 
ter's, and discovered the city of Rome ! Rome — a 
name familiar to me from my childhood, — the birth- 
place and scene of many of the exploits of my most 
favourite heroes. I was now about to enter that 
city, the reading of whose history had beguiled 
many an hour, and whose greatest citizens, in suc- 
cession, I had resolved to take as my model. What 
various feelings animated me! What throbs filled 
my breast, when about to visit the country of the 
Horatii and Curiatii, of Junius Brutua, of Mutius, 
of Cincinnatus, ofCamillus, of Virginius, ofFabri- 
cius, of Regulus, of Scipio, Of the Gracchi, of 
CaBsar, Cicero, and Seneca, of Brutus, and Augus- 
tus, of Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and Quintilian, of the 
Antonines ! What delight to range over the hills of 
Rome — the Palatine where Romulus was found — 
the Aventine where the Romans so often made a 
stand for liberty — the Capitoline where sat an as- 
semblage of gods, as the Roman senate has been de-* 
scribed. All this, which I had so often traced in 
imagination, I was now about to enjoy in reality. 
But to this illusion succeeded disappointment and 
melancholy : the surrounding country is a desert — 
the site of ancient magnificence is occupied by 
modern insignificance or covered with grass — the 
hills of Rome are hardly distinguishable from the 
rubbish that has accumulated around them — and this 



97 

city, which contained, in the time of Claudius, near 
seven millions of inhabitants, can now count but 
160,000. — Thus do ^^ empires rise and fall— flourish 

and decay;" 



98 



CHAPTER VIII. 

ANCIENT ROME. 

After various accWents, delays, and dangers, 
tome of them sufficiently vexatious, at last we ar- 
rived at Rome. Rome ! The former mistress of 
the world ! Alas ! how changed. To attain this, 
we had traversed plains, crossed seas, ascended to 
the regions of the clouds, and descended to the bot- 
toms of rivers, whose waters had been dried up by 
excessive heat. We had suffered the extremes of 
cold, surrounded by snow and ice, and of parching 
heat under a burning sun. We had passed moun- 
tains the most beautifully cultivated, valleys in all 
the luxuriancy of vegetation, and dreary wastes full 
of caverns, and recesses the resorts of brigands and 
banditti. The mountains' ragged cliffs, we had 
clambered, and descended from their summits, down 
their steep declivities full of precipices, with almost 
the fearful velocity of a rapid current. Such was 
our journey to Rome : a journey which we did not 
anticipate, in the delightful country of Italy, the 
garden of the world. 

Advancing upon the ancient Flaminian way, we 
entered Rome by the Porto del Populo, and en- 
gaged apartments in the Piazza d'Espagna. Every 
one, on visiting a celebrated city, should endeavour 
to become acquainted with its looahties : to do this. 



99 

I would recommend that the most elevated points 
should be ascended, taking a map, and from thence 
to compare every part, marking the situation of the 
principal buildings. The circuit of^the city should 
next be made, and by doing this, in a short time the 
whole place would be familiar. The best places 
for this purpose are, the tower on the Capitoline 
hill, and the tops of the Antonine and Trajan co- 
lumns ; these being centrically situated, the city, 
ancient and modern, spreads itself around them. 
Besides these, there are fine points of view from 
the Pincean hill, Mount Janiculum, the castle of St- 
Angelo, and the top of St. Peter's. 

Rome ! — The subject is so overpowering that 1 
know not how to begin ; my mind is distracted by ft 
thousand different thoughts — a thousand various 
feelings agitate me. If I could confine myself to its 
ancient state, what a glorious theme to dwell upon ; 
^ut I am upon the spot — on the spot only — where it 
formerly stood — the illusion is dissipated — and floods 
of tears succeed each other when 1 find that 
Rome, with all its greatness, has vanished from the 
earth. 

But I have seen St. Peter's — St. Peter's — con- 
temptible—St. Peter's cannot bear a comparison 
with the ruins of ancient Rome ; how then can the 
sight of it compensate for the destruction of the 
other. Still more acute must this feeling be, 
when we know that not ail the civil brawls ; 
not all the ignorance and want of taste in 
'the latter emperors ; not all the rage and indis* 



100 

criminate fury of the barbarians, nor the bigotry 
and fanatic zeal in the darker ages, have tended so 
much to the destruction of ancient Rome, as those 
families who, in their wretched feeling, would build 
themselves palaces by the spoliation of the finest 
monuments of Iloman grandeur. Such is the fact, 
they have not only robbed, but they have utterly 
destroyed many of the finest works. They had not 
€ven the faculty of appropriation. How many cor- 
nices, fluted columns, and beautifully executed capi- 
tals, have I seen cut up and used as merely blocks 
of marble ! And after they had accomplished this 
destruction, what have they produced ? Buildings 
and streets, which are a disgrace to the local beau- 
ties of the hills of Rome* With feelin"^ of sorrc? 
and indignation, which it was impossible to suppress,, 
we wandered through the streets of this modern 
city ; and could not proceed many paces without 
witnessing some of these works of destruction, in 
columns of porphyry or verde antique, cut down 
for door-posts, to grace the entry of paltry court- 
yards. Reflecting on these changes, and to what 
use the best things may be converted, we were 
accosted by a tawdry dressed jackanapes, powdered, 
and bespattered with tinsel, a running footman, who 
told us we should be run over by the equipage that 
followed, if we did not move. 

The principal objects of attraction are the Colli- 
seum, the Capitol, the Pantheon, the Vatican, the 
Farnese palace, and the villa Farnesiana ; the first 
as being the ruins of one of the grandest edifices of 



101 

the Romans ; the second having been the former seat 
of empire ; the third as the best preserved and most 
beautiful of their temples ; the fourth containing the 
finest examples of modern painting, and an assem- 
blage of the most beautiful specimens of antique 
sculpture ; and the last two from being adorned by 
the works of Raffaelle and Annibal Carrachi. To 
the Capitol we immediately hastened. 

The Capitol is situated between modern Rome 
and the ancient ruins, forming the boundary of the 
one and the commencement of the other. Seated 
on the summit of the tower, rising from the senato- 
rial palace, which is built on the top of the Capito- 
line hill, the highest point of the city ; clasping the 
figure of Minerva, by which it is crowned, we enjoy 
the sight of both. When from this eminence we 
view the scene by which we are surrounded, and 
contemplate the past, what melancholy emotions are 
inspired ! Within that range, what scenes had passed, 
what actions had been performed, what glories seen, 
what cruelties executed ! There had been practised 
every virtue which can adorn humanity, and every 
vice which can degrade it. The noblest and the 
vilest actions : the most glorious liberty had dignified 
that spot ; the most detestable despotism had dis- 
graced it. Unrivalled beauties adorned this place ; 
the intellect of man seemed almost to have been ex- 
hausted in its decoration ; the wealth of all the eartb 
contributed to it. From here was the law issued to 
ihe whole world. Empires and nations bowed be- 
neath its yoke ; all men obeyed its mandate, From 



10^ 

the Ganges to Albion's cliflfs, from the Arctic to 
Afric's torrid clime, they knew, they loved, they 
trembled at the name of Rome. 

What do we now behold ? Melancholy contrast — 
of all the beauties which once adorned not only the 
capitol of Rome, but Rome itself, there is not a per- 
fect specimen remaining. Before us is a scene of 
yuined splendour : massive and grand, and suflicient 
to strike the spectator with awe even in their pre- 
sent mutilated state. Those monuments which re- 
main are half buried in their ruins ; and the Forum 
of Rome, where the intellect of the world was con- 
centrated, the seat of universal empire, is converted 
into a cattle, market, with the contemptible designa- 
tion of Campo Veccino ; and the walks of philoso- 
phers covered with asses, monks, and straw. Such 
is the mutability of human affairs. 

Surrounding the Forum, and within the compass 
of one's eye, is an assemblage of objects grand, 
beautiful, and interesting ; triumphal arches ; co- 
lumns of fine proportions, the only remains of edifices 
once so celebrated ; temples in ruins ; and, at the 
end, the prodigious form of the amphitheatre of 
Vespasian. On the right it is bounded by the Pala- 
tine hill, the seat of infant Rome, but now a shape- 
less mass of rubbish. The Tarpeian rock, which 
lay between the Capitol and the Tiber, rendered so 
famous by the number of victims hurled from its top, 
is no longer an object of terror, and indeed can hard- 
ly be pointed out, v.s ruins have not only filled up the 



103 

gap, but raised the banks and narrowed the course 
of the river. 

Descending from the Capitol we approached the 
arch of Septimus Severus, which, with three co- 
lumns of the temple, erected by Augu&tus to Jupiter 
Tonans, is situated at the foot of the mount. These, 
with eight pillars of the Temple of Concord, the 
arch of Constantine, and many others, have been 
cleared by the French of the rubbish in which they 
were buried ; and their bases now appear considera- 
bly below the present elevation of the ground. An 
insulated column of the Corinthian order, called the 
Pillar of Phocias, the half only of which had here- 
tofore been seen above ground, was clearing, and 
was nearly completed when we left Rome, by the 
order, at the expense, and much to the honour, of 
the Duchess of Devonshire. These are acts which 
show true nobility. Below its base are seen several 
steps by which it w^as approached ; and at the foot 
of these is the original pavement of the Forum. 
Here we descended and enjoyed the idea that we 
were standing on the same ground ; nay, resting per- 
haps on the same stone which Caesar, Cicero, or 
Virgil, had trod before us. The pavement of the 
Forum is above thirty feet below the present cause- 
way ; and, from this account, the reader will have 
some idea of the quantity of ruins which could fill 
up a space so large as the Forum, to such a height 
above its original level, and likewise of what trea- 
sures might be found if the whole were excavated 
and cleared. Rome, in the hands of the French or 



^ 



104 

English, might be partly resuscitated ; but much a« 
it was improved under the government of the former, 
its course has been retrograde since they left Italy. 
Of the three triumphal arches of Septimus Severus, 
Titus, and Constantine, the last is the best preserv- 
ed. But of what an heterogeneous assemblage of 
materials is it composed ! We speak of the plun- 
derers of the works of art of the present day, — El- 
gin, Buonaparte, and others, if plunderers they can 
be justly called, who only took to preserve, who res- 
cued the finest works of art from the spoliation of 
barbarians, or the indiiference of ignorance, and 
placed them where they would be valued according 
to their worth. But Constantine was the most taste- 
less, the most brutal of all civilized plunderers. To 
satisfy his own wretched vanity, and adorn his new 
city of Constantinople — Asia and Europe were de- 
spoiled of their brightest ornaments. Had he had 
the power, he would have robbed the sun of its 
lustre, and left the world in darkness, to satisfy his 
mad ambition. Such is the instance before us, which 
was built by the destruction of the arch of Trajan, 
executed in the best time of the Romans. However 
inapplicable its basso relievoes were to his victories^ 
and however dissimilar a Dacian might be to a Bri- 
ton, the form of one man in Constantine's judgment 
was as good as another, and he cared not how the 
materials were obtained, so as the arch was erected 
and inscribed with his name. 

In whatever way we consider the amphitheatre of 
Vespasian, whether as to its colossal size, the se* 



105 

lidity of its structure, its architectural taste and pro^ 
portion, or its convenience, it equally strikes us 
with wonder and admiration. With what delight 
did we wander among its ruins, climb its seats, pa- 
rade its galleries and arcades, and pass through its 
vomitories. Days might be spent in exploring and 
examining its subterraneous passages. Seating our- 
selves in the centre of the Arena, we contemplated 
in silence the vast structure by which we were sur- 
rounded. It app€ars to have been a fabric that 
might have aspired to almost everlasting duration, 
if it had to combat only with the ravages of time* 
But the hand of man, guided by the lowest igno- 
rance, the most contemptible vanity, and a total 
absence of all feelingj has presented a work of de- 
struction, which time perhaps would never have 
accomplished, and distant ages might have seen this 
proud monument entire. Suffice it to say, that this 
wonderful building has been robbed, mutilated, and 
almost destroyed, by the Farnese and other families 
of Rome, who have raised their palaces with its 
materials. 

In addition to those I have mentioned are the 
ruins of the temples of Antoninus and Faustina, of 
Peace, of the Sun and Moon, of Remus, and three 
Corinthian columns of Jupiter Stator. All these lie 
within a circle, surrounding the Forum, and excite 
a vast idea of its original magnificence. Beyond 
these is an immense space, extending to the wails 
of Rome, covered with vineyards, and interspersed 
with ruins. On the right, towards Mount Aventine^ 



106 

are the baths of Caracalla ; on the left, betwecnt 
the Caelian hill and the Esquihne Mount, are the 
remains of the baths of Titus ; four miles from the 
foot of Mount Caelius, through the gate of St. Sebas- 
tian, is a temple of Fortune, built in commemoiration 
of the meeting between Coriolanus and his mother 
Veturia, and of the triumph of filial piety. 

We visited the baths of Caracalla early one morn- 
ing ; little remains but the walls, which, with the 
ground, are covered with weeds. It is said to be 
buried so deep in its ruins, that we tread on the 
roof of the lower chambers. A large walnut-tree 
has grown in the middle of what appears to have 
been the principal saloon ; on the fruit of which, 
and some blackberries, we made our breakfaSt.^ 
The Hercules of Glycon, and Farnesian bull, both 
now at Naples, were found in these ruins. The 
baths of Titus are in better preservation ; many of 
the chambers, though now subterranean, being still 
adorned by painting, the colours appearing in al- 
most their primitive beauty. The triumph of Gre- 
cian sculpture, the Laocoon, was dug from these 
baths. 

We extended our walk to the walls, which, in 
many parts, are in excellent preservation. Many 
aqueducts, which supply the city, are seen ; and on 
examining the parts that are broken, we discovered 
that the water of some of them was conveyed through 
metal pipes. We went out by the gate of St. Sebastian, 
and passing on the outside of the walls, again en- 
tered through that of St. Paul j on the side of which 



107 

is the pyramidical mausoleum of Caius Cestius. Re- 
turning by the Aventine hill we came upon the 
Circus Maximus, where the rape of the Sabines took 
place. Mount Palatine, where Romulus and Remus 
were found, was before us. On it are the ruins of 
a modern villa ; besides immense arches and exca- 
vations one within another, which we entered until 
we were lost in darkness. These are the ruins of 
the palaces of the emperors. The greatest part of 
the hill is covered with vines, and the residence of 
the CaBsars is now a ropewalk. 

The Pantheon ! It is impossible to describe one!s 
feelings on entering this edifice. It must have the 
same effect upon every one ; and none can be 
wearied in the contemplation of it. Its beautiful 
proportions, its columns of a single shaft of yellow 
antique, fluted, of the Corinthian order, its immense 
dome, the light entering from a single aperture ia, 
the centre, shedding around its radiance undis- 
tracted, aod throwing every object into fine masses 
of light and shadow — absorbed our powers — we 
were lost in rapture. For my own part, it was my 
constant resort daily, during my stay in Rome, and 
sometimes twice and thrice ; yet I was never satiS' 
fied, but always longed to return. If in its present 
state it can fill the mind with such delight, what 
effect must it have had when complete and adorned 
with all those statues of bronze, the works of Di- 
pgenes of Athens, so highly spoken of by Pliny. 
However, this only more fully establishes its in- 
trinsic merit, that stripped of its adventitious orna- 



108 

ments it should so fill the spectator with pleasure. 
Much are we indebted to that religion whose influ- 
ence has preserved to us this as well as other 
monuments of antiquity, though not so perfect. 

Different lovers of the Fine Arts have raised 
funeral monuments to painters, sculptors, poets, 
architects, and other celebrated men. Among them 
are the busts of Metastasio, Braccio, Paulo Vero- 
nese, Leonardo da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Carlo Gol- 
doni, Alfieri, Petrarch, Ariosto, Tiziano, Correggio, 
Michael Angelo Buonorotti, Palladio, Dante, Poli- 
doro Caravagio, Piranisi, Tasso, Annibal Carrachi, 
Raffaelle, Bramante, Domenichino, Andrea del Sarto, 
Pietro Perugino, Giotto, Nicola da Pisa, Masaccio, 
Guido, Guilio Romano, Mengs, Winckelman, Nicola 
Poussin, &c. many of these are executed by Cano- 
va. In front is a magnificent portico, supported by 
columns, each of a single block of oriental granite. 
The eight columns of the fa9ade, which are of red 
granite, sustain an entablature and a pediment of the 
finest architectural proportions. The base and the 
capitals are of black marble. This was built by 
Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law to Augustus, in his third 
consulate, twenty six years before the Christian 
aera, and in the year of Rome 727. He dedicated 
it to Jupiter the Revenger, in memory of the vic- 
tory gained by Augustus over Mark Antony and 
Cleopatra. From having the statues of all the gods 
in bronze, in gold, in silver, and in precious stones, 
it was given the name of the Pantheon, a word of 
Greek origin, which signifies an assemblage of the 



109 

gods. The Pantheon is situated in the midst of mo- 
dern Rome, and is disgraced by the buildings which 
surround it. 



10 



no 



CHAPTER IX. 

MODERN ROME. 

Modern Rome has the same appearance as most 
other Italian cities, in the formation of its streets and 
houses, only that some of them are larger, while its 
palaces are more numerous. When I say modern 
Rome, I do not mean that there is likewise an ancient 
city, but that Rome at present is a modern city, built 
on the site, and with the materials of a part of an- 
cient Rome, and occupying rather more than one 
third of its former space. It spreads itself from the 
Tiber over the Campus Martins, and is bounded by 
the Pincean, Q,uirinal, and Capitoline hills. What 
ancient Rome was, we can only conjecture from the 
ruins that remain ; and which, from their size, their 
grandeur, and their magnificence of decoration, give 
us an overwhelming idea of its former wealth, power, 
and greatness. Besides these remains of antiquity, 
as they apply to the ancient city, modern Rome de- 
rives its present celebrity from being the principal 
seat of the arts on their revival, making a third age 
of glory ; and from containing some of the finest spe- 
cimens of modern paintings, sufficient perhaps, in 
that respect, to rival its former state. 

St. Peter's is situated on the Vatican Mount, the 
other side of the Tiber. The approach to it is over 
the bridge of St. Angelo and through some dirty 



Ill 

streets. Whether from its being unconnected with 
other buildings, and seen alone in the vast surround- 
ing space, or from the number of small parts of 
which it is composed, although actually larger than 
St. Paul's, it appeared diminutive. When we had 
entered the nave, however, we became sensible of 
its magnitude, and were delighted with its decora- 
tions. There appeared, indeed, no end to its beau- 
ties. Still there was a something wanting. Our 
bosoms did not swell, nor were our minds filled with 
that overpowering sensation, which the sight of an- 
cient grandeur had produced, to almost the extinction 
of thought. We sauntered about with a feeling of 
pleasure, examining and admiring its embellishments. 
All sorts of marbles are sprinkled about its walls ; 
and there are many excellent copies in Mosaic of 
the chef d^oeuvres of Raifaelle, Domenichino, Guer- 
cino and others. We descended and saw the original 
pavement, and many of the tombs of the popes. We 
afterwards ascended (early in the morning) to the 
top, and notwithstanding it has been considered a 
venturous feat, we climbed with ease over the ball 
to the cross ; clinging to which, we enjoyed an ex- 
tensive view of Rome and its environs.^ In coming 
down, we entered the ball ; and, although only 
eight o'clock in the morning, it was so hot that we 



"^ A very good map of the Campagna di Roma is about to be 
published by Mr. Ackermann, of the Strand, extending from 
Boccano to Terracina, denoting the principal ancient and mo- 
dern places ; accompanied by a Panoramic view. 



112 

could remain there but a few minutes; It is cus- 
tomary for visiters who have ascended to the cross 
to sign their names ; and among other signatures^ 
we observed those of Lord Byron and Mr. Hob- 
house. 

They who wish to enjoy St. Peter's, must visit it 
on their first entry into Rome. They will then be 
delighted with its magnificence. Its proportions, its 
mosaics, its sculpture, and its marbles, will then 
have their full eifect upon the mind. But should 
they, unfortunately for St. Peter's, visit first the re- 
mains of ancient Roman grandeur, it will sink in 
{he comparison. Its style will appear little, its or- 
naments profuse, its decorations paltry and gaudy, 
and it will have an air of unwarranted pretension ; 
as if the gayety of its materials would compensate 
for its want of simplicity. From its embellishment 
it seems well calculated to strike the sight of the 
vulgar, and answer the purposes of the Romish re- 
ligion. Such, at least, was the eifect upon our 
minds, after having wandered in the ruins of the Fo- 
rum, contemplated the amphitheatre of Vespasian, 
and viewed the exquisite beauty, elegance, and sim- 
plicity of the Pantheon I* 

A(?joining to St. Peter's is the Vatican. In the 



^ A late learned and elegant writer, a man of fine taste and 
sound judgment, when upon his favourite building of St. Pe- 
ter's, often appears to consider size, in his comparison of it 
with the finest temples of antiquity, as equivalent to every thing 
el!?e. 



113 

exterior of this building there is nothing remark- 
able, but who can describe the wonders it contains f 
The Sistine chapel, adorned by the Sibyls, the Pro- 
phets, and the Last Judgment, of Michael Angelo, 
I entered for the first time early one morning, and 
night surprised me before I had half examined its 
treasures. The chambers of Raifaelle next occu- 
pied my attention ; and days, weeks, and years, 
might be advantageously employed in their contem- 
plation and study. But what a lamentable account 
am I to give of their present state I The most cul- 
pable negligence, the blindest indifference, seem to 
pervade the Papal government. While an outcry 
has been raised at the statues being removed to 
France, where they were better seen, and while^ 
with much affected feeling, they have been calling 
for their restitution, they are permitting such inju- 
ries to those fine works which could not be remov- 
ed, as nothing will repair. The paintings of Raf- 
faelle from the Bible in the Corridore are almost 
destroyed by the damp ; those in the chambers, from 
the same cause, are bulged, and project from the 
walls ; (they who know what fresco-painting is, will 
tremble at this relation ;) and a machine of wood to 
exhibit some mummery has been raised and fixed to 
the wall in the Sistine chapel, hiding a portion of 
the Last Judgment, which contains one of the finest 
groups in existence. The care of such works, is 
not merely a national concern, but the whole world 
and posterity are interested in the preservation of 
these divine performances. 
10^ 



114 

The gallery of sculpture is a continued scene of 
elegance and beauty. The Vatican can again boast 
of possessing the Apollo, the Laocoon, the Anti- 
nous, and all those fine examples of the exquisite 
taste, nicety of feeling, and delicate sentiment, of 
that refined people the Greeks. The above statues 
are seen in their little chambers ; and it may almost 
be said, that their radiance, indignant at being con- 
fined to so small a space, seems desirous of bursting 
its narrow limits. To view them in their present 
situation properly is impossible, unless we could 
press our backs into the stone wall, so as to enable 
us to recede to a sufficient distance, that the whole 
figure may be embraced within the compass of the 
eye. At Paris they had places worthy of them ; 
every thing that could display them to advantage 
was done, and they received the adoration of thou- 
sands. At Rome, such is the state of feeling, that 
they only appear to be valued as objects for the at- 
traction of visiters, who come from all quarters of 
the globe, and the city being principally supported 
by them. Instead of, as in Paris, where we saw 
the Louvre crowded with its inhabitants, the Vatican 
presents on public days about twenty or thirty indi- 
viduals scattered about its rooms. In fact, I believe 
them to be considered by the government and the 
inhabitants (Romans I cannot call them) merely in 
a trading point of view. The Transfiguration of 
Raffaelle, the St. Jerome of Domenichino, and the 
St. Petronilla, by Guercino, since their return from 
Paris, have been placed in a room by themselves ; 



115 

but it is too dark to see them as they ought to be 
viewed. 

It would be an endless task, and occupy volumes, 
to enumerate every beauty in the Vatican ; and then 
even little satisfaction could be given, for thsy must 
be seen to be enjoyed. 

In descending from the Vatican, we again enter 
the handsome circular colonnade in front of St. Pe- 
ter's, adorned with statues, in the centre of which, 
are two fountains and an obelisk. The effect of 
this is much better seen from the fagade of St. Pe- 
ter's, as it lies hidden from the view on the ap- 
proach from the Tiber by a number of buildings, 
which it was the intention of the French to have 
levelled and cleared to the bridge. The castle of 
St. Angelo, formerly the mausoleum of Hadrian, is 
situated at the foot of the bridge. It has been 
stripped of all its ornaments, and is now used as s^ 
fortress. The bridge is adorned, or rather dis- 
graced, by a number of angels of deformity. The 
Tiber is a muddy stream, but more rapid than the 
Seine or the Thames. It hardly comes up to the 
idea given by the poet, when he describes Caesar 
and Cassius plunging into this " angry flood." 

The Capitoline hill, which is surmounted by an 
ugly building instead of the temple of Jupiter, is 
now called the Campidoglio. Father Paul, who, it 
is said, after having slept for three hundred years, 
revisited his convent, which had been the scene 
of his delights, could not have felt more vexed 
in a sensual point of view, at the alterations which 



116 

had taken place during that period, than we did in an 
intellectual one, at the lamentable changes which we 
discovered. Disappointment succeeded disappoint- 
ment. On each side the space before the senate^ 
house, are two buildings, the one containing many 
fine remains of antique sculpture, and the other 
filled by paintings of the old masters. There are 
none of the latter very extraordinary ; but to such 
a degree are they neglected, that in some of the 
best the colour is peeling off from the canvass. 
Many of the original basso-relievoes represent- 
ed in the Roman Admiranda are to be found 
here. 

The Antonine and Trajan columns were the 
next objects of our attention. The former is situa- 
ted in the centre of a square on one side the street 
called 11 Corso, and is decorated with basso-re- 
lievoes to the top, which ascend in a spiral form, 
representing the victories of Marcus Aurehus, to 
whose honour it was first elevated, and is now 
crowned by the statue of St. Paul, in bronze. 
The sculpture is much damaged. The Trajan pil- 
lar was surrounded and a great part hidden, by 
mean houses, before the French entered Rome ; 
but by their industry and good taste, these were re- 
moved, and the surrounding space has been dug 
and cleared of the rubbish : the original pavement 
and some of the pillars oi the forum of Trajan 
are now seen. This column is also adorned with 
basso-relievoes, detailing the victories of Trajan ^ 
but here I may observe, that the character of the 



117 

Koman sculpture is in general vulgar ; its forms 
are heavy and want grace ; its execution is in ge- 
neral coarse. Its subjects are often disgusting ex* 
hibitions of war and bloodshed. Their best sta« 
lues and basso-relievoes, representing sacrifices 
and processions, were either executed by the 
Greeks or copied from their works. Artists can 
gather little from these but the costume of the age 
in which they were executed. 

In the Farnese palace is the gallery, celebrated 
by the fresco paintings of Annibal Carrachi. The 
colours appear as brilliant as if only just executed^ 
and these paintings are the best preserved of any 
we saw in Rome. The rest of the palace has been 
stripped of its treasures to adorn Naples and Pa- 
lermo ; and the rooms are in so dirty a state, as ta 
Jtdke one shudder to walk through them. On 
coming out of one room, we discovered that the 
lower parts of our dress were covered with hun- 
dreds of fleas. On expressing our surprise, the 
guide smiled and said it was nothing ; at the same 
time he politely assisted us in brushing them off 
with his handkerchief. 

How contemptible did this as well as other simi- 
lar buildings appear, in comparison with the arche- 
types of art, which had been robbed and destroyed 
for their erection. It was painful to see — it is de- 
grading to think of. 

At the Villa Farnesiana, are those beautiful pro- 
ductions from the pencil of Raffaelle — the Galatea, 
2nd the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche. But what 



118 

a state of desolation surrounds them ! The fellow in 
whose charge the building is left, it was evident, had 
no thought but of the money he might draw from 
the pockets of visiters ; and was even almost as 
bad as the man at Hampton Court, who hurries and 
fidgets about you until he has ejected you from the 
palace, that he may be ready for more customers.* 
The Galatea is not in such good condition as the 
other paintings. To this scene of loveliness we 
often returned. 

The sewers should be visited ; which, although 
originally so large as to admit a wagon loaded with 
corn, are now nearly choked up. 

We often traversed the ruins of Rome, and in 
our numerous peregrinations visited the arch of 
Janus and the small arch of Septimus Severus. 
The basso relievoes of the last are represented in 
the Admiranda. We occasionally seated ourselves 
on the walls of the ancient city, or wandered in 
their recesses. The temple of Minerva Medica 
is now a place destined to hold straw, or to burn 
charcoal. A part of the roof still remains. We 
entered the catacombs which the first Christians 
inhabited, and which are said to have communication 
as far as Ostia. They consist of damp narrow pas- 
gages, with small excavations, one above the other 
on each side, for the dead. In the church of St. 
Paul we witnessed another infamous spoliation of 

* li is to be hoped that the excellent example of the Britis^h 
Museum will he soon followed in all our public buildings. 



119 

Constantine's. The columns which form the nave 
of this church once adorned the mausoleum of 
Hadrian, which was stripped for that purpose by his 
order. We quitted it with disgust and regf et, that 
go fine a monument of antiquity should be devasta- 
ted for the erection of so tasteless a building. The 
modern churches and palaces are numerous, but a 
particular description of them would carry me be- 
yond my limits, and, after all, would not be very 
interestinoj. 



120 



CHAPTER X. 

MODERN ROME : EXHIBITIONS. 

The Romans — I should say — the inhabitants of 
modern Rome — have their exhibitions in imitation 
of the ancients. The mausoleum of Augustus is 
converted into a sort of amphitheatre, where, on 
Sunday evenings, they assemble to hear music, and 
see a grand display of fire-works, which often fin- 
ishes by the ascension of a fire-balloon. On other 
days twice or thrice a week, bulls are baited by 
dogs and men. This, however, is a very harmless 
sport, for neither men, bulls, nor dogs, exhibit 
much courage, each being afraid of the other, and 
glad to escape at the first opportunity. The line 
of Virgil, '* Furor arma ministraty^^ could not be 
applied to them. 

While we were in Rome there were no theatres 
open ; but we were more than compensated by the 
conversaziones and private concerts. Both ladies 
and gentlemen sing with great taste and execution, 
and many of their comic songs are inimitable. 
With the Marquis Canova's study we were much 
pleased. 

Soon after our arrival at Rome, there was a vio- 
lent thunder storm, certainly of a more terrific na- 
ture than any we recollected to have witnessed. 
There had been no rain in the city for some 



I 



121 

months ; and what fell then rendered our excur- 
sions much more pleasant, for, in this ruinous coun- 
try, in dry weather the wheels of the carriage are 
often half buried in dust. Wandering about the 
streets of Rome, was particularly interesting, from 
the remnants of antiquity which continually arrested 
our attention, besides the obelisks, palaces, splen- 
didly decorated churches, and fountains, which are 
numerous. Some of the last are grand, and rivers 
of water flow through them into the city for the 
supply of its inhabitants. The fountain of Trevi 
and that on Mount Janiculum are the largest. The 
Pope's summer residence on the Qpirinal hill is 
extensive ; from its gardens there is a good view of 
Rome. Here the Pope's guards are seen in a most 
ludicrous costume. While we were enjoying their 
comic appearance, the Pope arrived from his eve- 
ning's ride. He is a venerable old man, borne 
down by sickness and the infirmities of age, and 
described to be a most exemplary character. The 
custom of salutation was new to us. As the car- 
riage passed, the people knelt down upon one knee, 
their hats off, their bodies bent forward, and their 
heads inclined towards the ground. He gently 
bowed his head in passing, giving us a beneficent 
smile. The saluting of strangers in Rome is very 
general among the clergy. 

In the centre of the space on one side of the pa- 
lace are placed the celebrated colossal horses and 
figures, called Castor and Pollux, executed by Phi- 
dias and Praxiteles J and brought from Alexandria by 

11 



122 

Constantine. Between them is an Egyptian obe- 
lisk ; and the place is aptly denominated Monte 
Cavallo. From the Piazza d'Espagna, which oc- 
cupies the site of the Naumachia of Domitian, as- 
cends a magnificent stair-case, surmounted by an 
obelisk and a church. This leads to the Pincean 
hill, which has been laid out with much taste by 
the French ; and from the beauty of its situation 
and commanding view of Rome, has become the 
most favourite promenade. Descending, we en- 
tered the Piazza del Populo, in the middle of which 
is an obelisk first raised in Plieropolis, by Sesostris, 
king of Egypt, and brought from thence by Augus- 
tus. It is of red granite, covered with hierogly- 
phics, and seventy-four feet high without the pe- 
destal : at the base is a fountain. The three prin- 
cipal streets of Rome meet at this place, and are 
divided by the fa9ades of two churches, which from 
their similarity are called the Sisters. The cen- 
tre one, 11 Corso, is the principal. It is adorned 
with palaces and churches on each side, running on 
the ancient Flaminian way and terminating at the 
foot of the Capitol. This is the usual drive for the 
carriages after four o'clock in the afternoon ; but 
what pleasure they can have in parading a narrow 
dark street, 1 have yet to discover. There are 
several celebrated houses in this street for ices, 
Sic. one in particular, occupying the lower part of a 
palace. The suite of rooms is elegantly embel- 
lished with paintings, kc. Some of them are de- 
voted to billiards; and the remainder, as well as 



123 

the gardens attached to the house, are arranged for 
refreshments. Here the carriages stop, and the la- 
dies have their ices handed to them. The Piazza 
Navona, the largest square in Rome, is another place 
for assembling : it was anciently the Circus Ago* 
nalia, where festivals were celebrated in honour of 
Janus, instituted by Numa. This place is inundated 
on summer evenings with water, forming a sort of 
lake, where the inhabitants crowd in their carriages, 
driving through the water, and enjoying the re- 
freshing coolness which is thus produced. Very 
few persons are seen in the streets between two 
and four o'clock ; the inhabitants then retire to 
rest, to avoid the heat of the day. It is a common 
saying in Italy, and I have also understood it to be 
the same in Greece and the Ionian islands, that 
during that period of the day, none but Englishmen 
and dogs are seen out. It was truly ridiculous to 
see the disturbance that was created by our some- 
times entering the shops to make purchases be* 
tween those hours. 

There are several bridges over the Tiber. At 
the foot of Mount Aventine are the remains of a 
stone bridge, built in the place of the wooden one, 
celebrated from its noble defence by Horatius Co 
cles. It was the first one thrown over the Tiber. 

One of the most curious parts of the modern city 
is that quarter inhabited by the Jews, to which 
they are strictly confined, the gates being closed 
upon them every night. They are said to be the 
descendants of those who were brought prisoners 



124 

by Titus from Jerusalem, and had this portion of 
the city assigned to them. Their numbers increas- 
ing, and their hmits not being enlarged, makes the 
place crowded to excess ; and it is dirty beyond de- 
scription. Rome and its inhabitants are worse in 
this respect than any Italian city we had yet visited. 
Of the hotels we have very bad accounts by travel- 
lers ; and in our private apartments we did not 
escape annoyance. The principal fault seems to 
be, besides a want of care in their own persons, a 
neglect, in their houses, of the use of water : 1 be- 
lieve it to be seldom or never employed. When 
we know this fact, and consider the heat of the 
climate, a very natural conclusion may be drawn, 
that no place is free from vermin. There is one 
species, the dread of all travellers, known under 
the name of the Roman flea. It is very small, but 
a most persevering and inveterate little animal. We 
soon experienced the effects of its venom ; our 
faces, necks, and hands, in one night, being cover- 
ed with blotches of so irritating a nature, that we 
were ready to tear the skin from our flesh : this 
pain lasts for days, and the marks remain for 
months. 

The greatest toleration in religion appears to 
prevail in Rome ; and we were permitted to enter 
their churches at all times, without being expected 
to conform to any ceremony, farther than that be- 
coming demeanour suitable to all places dedicated 
to the worship of the Supreme Being. One thing 
may be observed with respect to St. Peter's and the 



125 

other churches in Italy, that they are open at all 
reasonable times, either for devotion or to satisfy 
laudable curiosity : not like St. Paul's in London, 
where we can seldom get farther into the door than 
to see the nose of the porter, without paying for 
what should be open to all.*" 

The Pope being at this time so unwell, that it 
was uncertain when he would appoint a day to re- 
ceive the English, who were waiting to be present- 
ed to him ; our friends thought it probable we might 
visit Naples before it took place. Having partly 
satisfied our curiosity at Rome, we began therefore 
to think of our departure. The accounts of the 
state of the road were so bad, that it was difficult to 
determine which would be ihe safest mode of tra- 
veiling. Few passed without being robbed, and 
many were murdered. To travel in security with- 
out an esGort of cavalry was impossible ; and the 
reader will have some idea of the state of things ipr 
these parts, when I relate what was declared to us 
by a person high in authority at Rome, that the 
soldiers hired by individuals could not be depended 
upon, as they would most probably lead us into 
danger, and then run away, or, if attacked, would 
join the banditti. The soldiers employed by the 



* This is greatly to be lamented, as thousands are de- 
prived of a sight of those monuments, which are, in reality^ 
the people's property, having been raised at their expense., 
Ihe artists, likewise, are robbed of the celebrilv due. to f hero 
bv this system of extorting money. 

11* 



126 

g.overnmeht to guard the conveyance of letters, 
having some fear of punishment before their eyes 
for any dereliction of their duty, and some hope of 
reward by faithfully executing it ; we were advised 
to take as few things as possible, and trust our- 
selves with them. This we accordingly did ; 
and, with hearts big with expectation, set off for 
Naples. 



127 

CHAPTER XL 

ROME TO NAPLES. 

Entering now upon classic ground, what splen^ 
did recollections crowd the memory I Hardly a 
spot between Rome and Naples but has been digni- 
fied and ennobled by Homer and Virgil, by Horace 
and Ovid. With a delightful though melancholy 
feeling, you traverse the scenes of ancient days — 
the region of the poets. With what eagerness you 
regard every little remnant of antiquity, or even a 
spot of ground where formerly stood a city or a 
grove sacred to the muses ! Minerva, Apollo, Jupi- 
ter, Diana, and the whole synod of the g^ds, recur 
to your memory with the rapidity of lightning, or 
stand before you arrayed in all their descriptive or 
imaginary glory. It is with these pleasing associa- 
tions you pass along ; and of which, not all the fears 
of banditti, of plunder, or of murder, can rob you: 
these are your safeguard ; these are your comfort ; 
— you are alone ! — you revel in enjoyment 1 — the 
world is nothing ! 

The road from Rome to Naples is the most dan- 
gerous of any in Italy, not only from the hordes of 
brigands which infest it, and by whom you are in 
danger of being attacked every moment, but also 
from the mal aria or bad air, caused by the vapours 
arising from the Pomptine marshes. We had heard 



128 

much of the banditti, and that since the Austrian 
troops had left Naples, their increased audacity had 
already begun to show itself. Notwithstanding I 
knew what Cardinal Gonsalvi had said, that he would 
not answer for the Neapolitan government itself 
when these troops left ; yet, considering that fear 
often exaggerates an evil, I must confess I thought 
lightly of these tales, and felt confident that a few 
Englishmen, with pistols in their hands, were a 
match for any number of brigands that could set on 
them. However, as I have before said, according 
to the advice of our friends, we neglected no pre- 
caution which they considered necessary ; and we 
engaged places with the courier who conveys the 
post, and travels under an escort of pavalry. Be- 
fore we had been ten hours on our journey, we 
witnessed the lamentable effects of the want of an 
eflScient government in the desperate and cold-blood- 
ed villany of these lawless bands. 

The journey from Rome to Naples acquires ad- 
ditional interest, from having been partly described 
by Horace ; and we read with pleasure his fifth 
satire in the first book, because we passed a part 
of the places which he describes : we took an in- 
terest in their geography ; we compared their actual 
state with his narration, as also the names they now 
bear with those of his time. 

The ancient road to Naples was by the celebrated 
Appian way, made by Appius Claudius, when he 
was censor, in the year of Rome 442. It com- 
menced from Rome by the Porto Capena, now called 



129 

St. Sebastian, passed over the Pomptiiie Marshes, 
and extended to Capua ; from whence Trajan con- 
tinued it to Brindes, where he had a magnificent 
port, from which he embarked for Greece. This 
road was formed of great blocks of stone, and deco- 
rated with magnificent tombs. It united the ad- 
tantages of all the other Roman ways, so much so, 
that Cicero called it, " Regina Viarum^^'' the Queen 
of the ways, and Procopius, " Via spectatu dignis" 
sima.^'^ 

The modern road to Naples is not entirely on 
the Appian way, because we go out from Rome by 
the port St. John, and leave it on the right to pass 
through Albano. By this gate also begins the Via 
Campania, which leads to a province of that name 
in the kingdom of Naples, and the Via Tusculum, 
which conducts you to the ancient Tusculum, a ce- 
lebrated city of Latium, now called Frescati. 

There are many remains of ancient monuments 
on the road, which appear to have been tombs. 
We perceived also the ruins of the Claudian aque- 
duct. The battle between the Horatii and Cu- 
riatii was fought about five miles from Rome, be- 
tween that city and the mountains of Albano. In 
passing these latter, there are deep holes and caverns 
on each side the road, which, by being associated 
with the idea of banditti, gave it a gloomy character. 
The trees are stunted in their growth. 

Albano has been substituted for the ancient city 
of Alba Longa, built by Ascanius, the son of iEneas, 
between the mountains and the lake, four hundred 



130 

years before the foundation of Rome. Before en- 
tering the city, they show you, on the left, an ancient 
tomb stripped of its ornaments, which is called the 
Sepulchre of Ascanius. Near Albano, on the road 
to Aricia, is seen a mausoleum, called by many the 
tomb of the Horatii and Curiatii ; but others con- 
i^ider it to be that of Pompey the Great, who had a 
country-house in these environs. About a mile from 
Albano, is Castel Gondolfo, a small village. It was 
near there that Milo, going to Lanuvium, the place 
of his birth, was attacked by Clodius, who was killed 
in the contest. It was made the subject of a fine 
harangue by Cicero, Here also is the Lake of Al- 
bano, which was the crater of a volcano, and is 
eight miles in circumference. The canal from this 
lake is one of the most ancient and singular works 
of the Romans. It is a reni^ or estuary, by which 
the waters of the lake are carried beyond the mount. 
It was made three hundred and ninety- three years 
before the Christian era ; and the occasion of it 
was, there being a great increase of water at the 
time the Romans were carrying on the famous siege 
©f Veii, Rome sent deputies to Delphos to consult 
the oracle of Apollo, which replied that the Romans 
could not subjugate the Veians until they had given 
an efflux to the lake of Albano. From this they 
began to pierce the mountain ; so that, at the end 
of a year, they had made a canal a mile long, three 
feet and a half wide, and six feet high. This work, 
cut through the rock with blows of the hammer and 
chisel, cost immense sums. It was made with so. 



131 

much solidity, that it is still used, %vithout ever hav- 
ing had any reparation. 

Gensano is agreeably situated near the lake of 
Nemi. Hei^e is a house of Carlo Maratti : on the 
walls are some of his designs. On the other side 
of the lake, a little farther on, is Nemi, celebrated 
for its wines and the salubrity of its air. The lat- 
ter is chiefly produced by the lake which is in front 
of it, and which was called by the ancients the 
mirror of Diana, because the poets feigned that that 
goddess, having a temple there, viewed herself 
from it in the water. According to Strabo, there 
was a wood consecrated to Diana, which, with the 
the temple, was so frequented by the Latins, as to 
be the origin of this city. About three miles from 
here, to the right, is a chateau called Civita Laviniag 
which preserves the name of the ancient city built 
by iEneas in honour of Lavinia his wife, and daugh- 
ter of King Latinus. This city was afterwards the 
country of Antoninus the Pious and of Milo. The 
two celebrated pictures spoken of by Pliny, of 
Atalanta and of Helena, were in this city. Still 
farther to the right, about half-way towards the an- 
cient Antium, Corioli was situated, famed by the 
exploits of Caius Marcius Coriolanus, and immor- 
talized by our Shakspeare. 

All these places are now little villages ; but hav- 
ing read the Roman history and the seventh book of 
Virgil's jEneid, we cannot but regard them with the 
most lively interest, as they recall to our memory 
that this was the scene of the events there re- 



132 

lated, and of the glorious actions of numbers of 
heroes. 

Velletri was an ancient city of the Volcians, and 
where the family of Augustus took its origin. Octa- 
vius had a magnificent house here ; also the em- 
perors Tiberius, Nerva, Caligula, and Otho. It is 
at present rendered famous by the residence of Bar- 
bone the robber. The village of Cisterna, anti- 
quarians tell us, is the same which St. Paul calls, in 
the Acts of the Apostles, " Tres Tabernae." 

We now entered upon the most dangerous part of 
the road : the ground between here and Torre del 
Tre Ponti the brigands seem to have chosen for the 
scene of their principal exploits. When about half 
way, we beheld a sight shocking to humanity, and 
disgraceful to the government in whose territory it 
occurred. Strewed in our path, and stretched in the 
arms of death, lay a traveller, the victim of assassi- 
nation. His horse, likewise, lay dead by his side. 
So effectually had the villains taken aim, that both 
appeared to have fallen instantaneously. Systematic 
in their blood-thirsty designs, a square ravine, or 
ditch, dug on one side, and at right angles with the 
road, was so formed, that they could secrete them- 
selves without the chance of being discovered even 
on the brightest moonlight night, and from thence 
take sure aim at their unfortunate victim. If any 
one is way-laid in such a place as this, it appears 
almost an impossibility for him to escape ; for, if the 
first shot should miss, another from the next angle 
is certain of taking effect. It will hardly be belie v- 



133 

ed, that such was the culpable negligence and inat- 
tention of the Papal government to the safety of the 
people, that when we repassed, a fortnight after- 
wards, this ravine, dug by assassins for the express 
purpose of robbery and murder, had never been 
filled up, but was left in all its terrors, to be again 
used for the same fell purpose. Lamentably indeed 
must the people of Italy feel this change. They 
say, that when the French possessed the supreme 
power, assassination was unknown, and robbery was 
almost exterminated. The towns-people could sleep 
in their beds in safety ; the poor people were not 
sunk into extreme misery, nor driven to desperation 
by excessive taxation and the monopolization of the 
necessaries of life. The French exactions were 
devoted to the improvement of the country, of the 
state of society, and were amply repaid in the pro- 
tection given to the people. The present govern- 
ments plunder the people, without the power of re- 
straining the licentious, and, as it would appear, 
even without the disposition. We afterwards un- 
derstood that this poor man who was murdered had 
accompanied an Austrian courier, who neglected to 
take an escort. He, however, fortunately escaped 
by turning his horse quickly round and galloping on- 
wards to Torre del Tre Ponti. It took place about 
three hours before we passed. 

Unfortunately this was not the only murder of that 
night. Another person was stopped near the same 
place and dragged into the marshes ; the particulars 

of which we learned at Torre del Tre Ponti. This 

12 



134 

man was known to have received a sum of money, 
but which he had left at home in the care of his 
wife. The brigands, finding he had not the money 
with him, obliged him to write a letter to his wife, 
desiring her to give the bearer a specified sum. 
This was conveyed by one of the gang, while the 
man remained as a hostage in the hands of the ban- 
ditti. The wife, eag^r to save the life of her hus- 
band, delivered all as desired, and waited in fearful 
anxiety his return. The robber in going back to 
his companions was questioned by the guard, seized, 
searched, and sent to prison. Meantime the bri- 
gands, becoming impatient at the prolonged stay of 
their comrade, and suspecting they were betrayed, 
in revenge shot the poor man who was left in their 
power. His body was soon after discovered. 

This was an occasion that the guards and posti- 
lions would not let slip to make exactions on the 
fears of those they conducted : the* soldiers repre- 
sented to us how happy we were under their escort, 
and the others urging how well they drove. But, 
having already paid enormously for the accommo- 
dation, we resisted their demands, still looking upon 
our pistols as our best protection. 

At Torre del Tre Ponti begin the Pomptine 
marshes, extending over a space of twenty-four 
miles in length, and from six to twelve miles broad 
The name Pomptina Palus comes from Pometium, 
which was a populous and considerable city before 
the foundation of Rome. 

The Lacedemonians are said to have established 



135 

themselves on this side, and to have built a temple 
to the goddess Feronia, who presided over the pro- 
ductions of the earth. This country became after- 
wards so populous, that, according to the testimony 
of Phny, there were twenty-three cities, besides a 
great number of country-houses, so considerable, 
that the names of some of them have been transmit- 
ted to the present day. Homer and Virgil de- 
scribe the residence of Circe as an island ; and it 
is supposed that the sea, extending to here, sur- 
rounded it. 

To give a date to the origin of these marshes is 
difficult. They are caused by the waters which de- 
scend from the mountains ; and there not being suf- 
ficient declivity to carry them into the sea, they 
^ form swamps, and produce exhalations so unwhole- 
some, as to infect the air, arid to have influence even 
as far as Rome. 

From Appius Claudius to the present day it has 
been the endeavour of various consuls, emperors, 
and popes to destroy or remedy their efl*ect. Cae- 
sar conceived the mighty project of turning the 
Tiber from its course to Ostia, and carrying it to 
Terracina ; thus improving the cotnmerce of Rome, 
facilitating the access to it, forming a drain for the 
marshes, and, by this expedient, rendering the 
country more fit for cultivation. Death prevented 
the execution. *' Thus it is that enterprises of 
great pith and moment their currents turn awry and 
lose the name of action." From Caesar's idea, Au- 
gustus took that of draining the land, and caused 



136 

many canals to be formed in different directions, 
which carried the waters to the sea. Trajan paved 
the way which traversed the Pomptine marshes, 
and built bridges and houses. Sixtus the Fifth, in 
1585, endeavoured to purify the air and augment 
the fertility of the Roman state. He formed a new 
canal ; and, profiting by those already made by Ap- 
pius Claudius, Augustus, and Trajan, he re-assem- 
bled a great part of the dispersed waters, and dis- 
charged them into the sea at the foot of Monte Cir- 
cello. Pius the Sixth completed it. He gathered 
all the waters into a canal contiguous to the Appian 
way, which marked their ancient direction, and 
drove them into the sea at Torre di Madino. The 
country is now fertile, the air is more pure, and the 
Appian way, which was under water, is re-esta- 
blished. There is now an even and direct road, 
Iwenty-five miles in length. It is called the Linea 
Pia 

At the extremity of the north-western cape of the 
Pomptine marshes, and at the mouth of the river 
Astura, is a tower of the same name, and a little 
port where Cicero embarked to go to his country 
house at Formio 'the day he was assassinated. Eight 
Biiles from thence is the ancient Antium. Magni- 
ficent temples of Fortune, of Venus Aphroditus, and 
of Esculapius, adorned that city. Many statues have 
been found there ; and among them were the Apollo 
Belvidere, and the Gladiator, which now adorn the 
Vatican. 



137 

At the south-western cape is Monte Circello, or 
the cape of the famous Circe. It is a peninsula 
formed by an elevated rock, on which was the 
palace of the Daughter of the Sun. There, also, 
were those formidable prisons where Homer says 
the companions of Ulysses were confined after their 
metamorphoses, but where they passed afterwards 
a year of delight. 

Terracina, situated on the seashore, is the last 
city of the Roman state. It was an ancient city of 
the Volscians, called Anxur. There are many re- 
mains of antiquity. The ancient Anxur was on the 
summit of the rock from whence Jupiter Anxurus 
drew his name, as mentioned by VirgiL The sub- 
structions of his temple still remain. Horace de- 
scribes the city thus : 

— <' then after dinner creep 
Three tedious milesy and climb the rocky steep 
Where Anxur shines." 

Satire V. Book I. 

The views are picturesque. The port of Ter- 
racina was once considerable ; and through here 
passed the Appian way. 

Here the Douaniers of the Roman state take leave 
of travellers, by making an exorbitant charge for 
not looking at their luggage. Having only a sac 
de nuit, we refused to pay any thing, and passed on 
without further molestation. On going out of Ter- 
iracina, we saw chambers cut in the rock, and in- 
habited by the corps de garde. We drove along 
1^^ 



138 

the coast ; and a few miles further is the tower of 
the confines which divides the kingdom of Naples 
from the states of Rome. We still passed on the 
Appian way for some miles, in many places shaded 
with trees which defended us from the heat of the 
sun. So genial is this climate, that at Christmas 
the narcissus and every other species of flower are 
in abundance. Near Fondi is a grotto, where, ac- 
cording to Tacitus, Sejanus saved the life of Ti- 
berius. 

The Appian way forms the principal street of 
Fondi. The wines of that city were celebrated by 
the ancients. At Fondi the Neapolitan Douaniers 
lay wait for you. Previously to our leaving Rome, 
in consequence of the great probability of our being 
attacked and robbed, our friends there advised us 
not to take any thing valuable, and, indeed, as few 
things as possible ; accordingly on& sac de nuit com- 
prised all our luggage. The coach was instantly 
surrounded by these harpies, and as quickly emp- 
tied. Hearing a great noise, and advancing to the 
crowd, they demanded where our luggage was ; 
and, on pointing to the bag which contained our 
all, it was really laughable to see their shrugs and 
their countenances, and to hear their exclamations. 
Disappointed in their hopes of extortion, and which 
I understood from several travellers they were in 
the habit of indulging with impunity, they could 
hardly believe what they saw. Bjesides the usual 
signatures to the passports, it is necessary to have 
a bill of health to and from Naples, or you will 



139 

suffer the inconvenience of being arrested. One 
gentleman we saw who had been detained there 
four days, and was obliged to pay most exorbi- 
tantly for permission to walk about ; otherwise he 
would have been confined in a dungeon. 

Itri is the next post. The inhabitants appear in 
the utmost misery, and in the midst of the most 
squalid filth* We thought- that at Rome unclean- 
litiess was at its height, but it increased as we ap'- 
proached Naples. Advancing towards Mola di 
Gaieta, we passed an ancient tower, said to be the 
tomb of Cicero, erected by his freedmen, on the 
spot where he was supposed to have been killed. 
Near here, towards the sea, is a fountain, believed 
to be that of Artacia, where, according to Homer, 
Ulysses met with the daughter of the king of the 
Lestrigons. 

" She to Artacia's silver streams came down." 

Odyssey, Book X. 

Mola di Gaieta is built on the ruins of the ancient 
Formiae, a city of the Lestrigons, spoken of by Ovid 
in his fourteenth book of Metamorphoses. It was 
celebrated by the ancients for the beauty of its 
situation. Horace ranks its wines with those of 
Falernia. It was destroyed by the Saracens. The 
women here have been described as habiting themr 
selves with much taste ; and there certainly is a 
style of elegance in their dress which would be 
very pleasing^ — ^but what is taste without cleanlir 
Bjess ? I dare say no more.. Between Mala and 



140 

Gaieta are the ruins of Cicero's country-house, 
called Formianum, and near which others say he 
was assassinated when he endeavoured to conceal 
himself from the fury of Marc Antony. Gajeta 
stands on a projecting point in the sea, from whence 
we had a fine view of Ischia, Naples, and Vesuvius. 
It is very ancient, and supposed to be founded 
by -3Bneas in honour of Gajeta, his nurse, whc 
died there. Vide Virgil's seventh book ^ the 
^neid. 

*' And thou, O matron of immortal fame ! 
Here dying, to the shore hast left thy name : 
Gajeta still the place is called from thee, 
The nurse of great iEneas' infancy. 
Here rest thy bones in rich Hesperia's plains : 
Thy name ('tis all a ghost can have) remains." 

On the top of the hill of Gaieta is a tower, vulgarly 
called the Tower of Rolando, which is the most 
remarkable monument of this city. According to 
the inscription on the door, it was the mausoleum of 
Lucius Munatius Plaucus, the founder of Lyons. It 
was he who persuaded Octavius to take the name of 
Augustus in preference to that of Romulus, which 
his flatterers wished to give him as the restorer of the 
city of Rome. There is another tower, called La- 
tratina, which is round, and almost similar to the 
former. It is said to have been a temple of Mer- 
cury. Its oracles were deUveredfrom the head of a 
dog. Gaieta is the best fortress of the kingdom of 
Naples. 



141 

There is a rock near, which, according to tra- 
dition, divided itself into three, in honour of the 
Trinity, on the day of the death of Christ. 

We passed the Carighano by a bridge of boats, 
and there we quitted the Appian way, which coasts 
the sea to the mouth of the Volturnd. The 
marshes formed by the Carigliano in its environs, 
and called anciently Minturnum, recalled to our 
minds the deplorable condition of Caius Marius. 
This proud and ambitious Roman, so often victo- 
rious, and seven times consul, at the age of seventy, 
being proscribed, vvas obliged to immerse himself 
up to the neck in this muddy water, to hide himself 
from the pursuit of the satellites of Sylla. There 
he remained a whole night ; but, being discovered, 
he delivered himself to them with intrepidity, and 
made them tremble with his menacing look and 
air. He is described as a man of gigantic size, ex- 
traordinary strength, and undaunted bravery. His 
manners were rude and his countenance frightful. 

We passed the mountain of Falernia, so renown- 
ed for its wines. The Falernian territory was the 
scene of the manosuvres between Fabius and Han- 
nibal, and where the latter practised his celebrated 
stratagem. Near here, also, was the defile where 
the Romans suffered a signal disgrace, some time be- 
fore, in the contest with the Samnites. 

The scenery improved and became luxuriant as 
we approached Naples. Ancient Capua was situated 
a little differently from the modern city. Strabo 
says that Capua was built by the Tyrrhenians, who 



142 

were chased from the Po by the Gauls, five hundred 
and twenty-four years before the Christian aera. 
Others say that it existed three hundred years be- 
fore that date, and that it had been founded by Ca- 
puis, one of the companions of iEneas. Strabo 
says that the name of Capua comes from caputs be- 
cause it was one of the capitals of the world, enu- 
merating it with Rome and Carthage. The Tyrrhe- 
nians were driven out by the Samnites, and they by 
the Romans. It was celebrated for its agreeable 
situation, being in a fertile plain in Campania, of 
which it was the capital ; and Cicero called it the 
finest dependency of the Roman people. Hannibal, 
to draw the city to his side, promised its inhabitants 
to make it the capital of Italy. The Romans cruelly 
revenged themselves. Having taken the city, after 
a long siege, they made the people slaves, sold them 
by auction, and, beating the senators with rods, de- 
capitated them. Genseric, king of the Vandals, 
accomphshed the destruction of Capua ; and there 
now remains only the name, which is given to a 
new city. In the environs of Capua are several 
villages, whose appellations indicate their ancient 
origin. 

The distance from Capua to Naples is fifteen 
miles. Aversa, anciently called Atilla, was a resi- 
dence of the Romans, as much celebrated by the 
witticisms of its inhabitants as by the obscene spec- 
tacles and debaucheries it exhibited. The country 
around, and all the way from here to Naples, is 
luxurious. We already began to hear the noise for 



143 

which that city is famous, and which forms its charac- 
teristic distinction from all others. At first it is 
a confused murmur ; it augments insensibly as you 
advance, until it breaks on your ear, " confusion 
worse confounded." Those who have witnessed that 
delectable treat, Bartholomew fair, in all its glory, 
may have some idea of the streets of Naples from 
the dawn to sunset. 



144 



CHAPTER XIL 



NAPLES. 



I ALWAYS feel somewhat disappointed on entering 
every celebrated city ; for I generally find that the 
reality is seldom equal to the expectations excited 
by the descriptions of it. At the same time, Naples 
is a fine city ; but when I see people immersed in 
so much dirt and filth, and who have, altogether, so 
wretched an appearance, it is difficult to reconcile it 
with the splendid palaces around. 

A partial observer might say that Naples was a 
truly jovial place ; all seems mirth and uproar : 
lords and lazaroni, ladies and demireps, improvisa- 
tores, pickpockets, and punch, all jumbled together 
in a heterogeneous mass. The rattling of coaches, 
the bawling of coachmen, the various cries of the 
various trades, of basket-makers and knife-grinders, 
of sellers of lemonade, fruit, brooms, &c. conveyed 
in the highest key of the voice, assail the traveller 
from all quarters, and stun his ears. It is all con- 
fusion ; and there is equal danger of being run over, 
jostled in a crowd, or tumbled intd a stall of fruit,, 
fish, or vegetables ; driven first on One side of the 
way, then on the other ; steering through crowds of 
baskets, stalls, &c. of different professions ; pestered 
with importunate beggars, or by the lazaroni, who 
continually offer their services. One person insists 



145 

upon cleaning your shoes ; another pulls you by the 
coat, and, showing some fruit, exckims, '' Oh, che 
hella cosaP^ while a third thrusts some article of sale 
into your hand. The carts being drawn by cattle, 
we occasionally found a bull's horn under our arms, 
or thrust into our sides. This is but a slight picture 
of the streets of Naples ; where thousands of per- 
sons are pursuing a thousand different objects ; 
where the human voice divine approaches to abso- 
lute shrieking ; and where the noise and confusion 
are so great that we are inclined to say "• Chaos is 
come again." All this, with the good humour that 
exists, would incline a spectator to imagine that the 
utmost happiness and liberty prevailed. But when 
we contrast the splendid habiliments of the rich and 
the wretched nakedness of those who serve them, the 
magnificent palaces of the court, and the stony bed, 
covered only by the canopy of heaven, of the poor ; 
and to this add the filth, the nastiness, the vermin, 
by which every thing and every person almost is 
covered, our desire is to fly from such an accumula- 
tion of misery and uncleanliness, and to bury our- 
selves in the woods or deserts ; for, if this be so- 
ciety, it is the greatest curse that can be bestowed 
upon us. 

Innumerable carriages are seen with ladies, offi- 
cers, and others, in fine attire ; whilst the man who 
drives them has little or no covering, and the boy 
who mounts behind is absolutely in rags ; his motions 
indicating pretty clearly, that there are many more 

animals carried on the voiture than are apparent to 
13 



146 

the eye. The fruit, though delicious to the sight, 
we hardly dared to purchase, from the filthy ap- 
pearance of the venders. In fact, from morning till 
night, in the shops, at the windows, and in the 
streets, all leisure moments are filled up by the 
pleasing task of extracting from each other the ver- 
min with which they abound. 

Want of cleanliness, and of the frequent use of 
water, is the general reproach of Italy ; but at Na- 
ples it seems to have reached its climax. I have 
before spoken of the Roman flea ; but here we 
have them of all sizes and all shapes ; Swammerdam, 
the Dutch entomologist, would have been delighted 
with such various and inexhaustible stores for his 
research. The best houses are not free from them. 
At the Hotel Crocelli, Strada St. Lucia, one of the 
first, we inhabited apartments sufficiently clean to 
the eye, but we were obliged to strew our beds 
with essence of lavender to escape annoyance ; 
and, even with frequent washing, bathing, and 
changing of linen, could not keep ourselves free 
from these tormenting vermin. Such is the pre- 
sent state of Naples ; glorious in its chmate, sur- 
rounded by all the luxuries of nature, adorned with 
some of the finest specimens of art, but with a 
degraded, though lively and good-humoured, popu- 
lation. 

The exquisite beauty of the sculpture and love- 
liness of the scenery, are sadly contrasted with the 
thoughtlessness, the frivolity, the filth, and nasti- 
ness f)f the icbabitants. Here, indeed, we may 



147 

say, is Nature's garden ; and a person wlio cotiid 
devest himself of all sygipathy for the distresses 
of others, and all regard for cleanliness, might 
live here a life of the most selfish happiness. 

However, in observing more closely, there is a 
source from which these and all other popular evils 
spring. It is the bad government. The most con- 
vincing proof of this is the number of troops in the 
city. Soldiers stare you in the. face at every cor- 
ner ; and, although gifted with almost unlimited 
power, yet, I understand, when wanted they cannot 
be depended on. I have seen a soldier^draw his 
sword and strike a man several times, who, by ac- 
cident in passing, put his hat on one side. I have 
seen soldiers strike, and repeatedly slap the face 
of some 3^oung men who were passing, for some 
supposed offence, and without their daring to reta- 
liate. This seems to be allowed, as likewise pick- 
ing of pockets, whicli is done with a most barefaced 
impunity. Indeed, anarchy seems to be the order 
of the day in the Neapolitan dominions. The want 
of power in, or the corruption of, the government, 
will be sufficiently known when I relate two facts ; 
that the revenue of Naples is thirty millions of du- 
cats, and only eighteen millions come into the trea^ 
sury ; and that the country is thronged with lawless 
bands, to the chief of one of which the king allow\'2 
about two hundred pounds a year to keep a road clear 
in Calabria. I may add the following extract from 
the Naples Gazette : '' We are happy to find that 
the brigand chief*^ are coming to tlie terms of govern 



148 

ment, and beginning to clear the roads of theij' 
companions." Such is tiie government of Naples : 
and, indeed, most of those of Italy. 

The king appears to be a heavy slovenly sort of 
man ; and the best thing I observed of him was, that 
he rode about without fear, or any ridiculous pomp 
and show. He is often seen in an open calash with 
only one attendant. In this he has all the appear- 
ance of the king of a free nation, who would think 
it his greatest pride to be ranked as its first citizen, 
lie is said to be very good natured ; and although 
he borrows his subjects' money without scruple, and 
never gives any thing in return but his bill, yet he 
passes through the streets without annoyance, 
either by acclamation or censure. His lady has a 
bad name, as it is said she causes much of the mi- 
sery by a monopoly of the corn ; but these j^eports 
of individuals are generally erroneous, the main 
fiult being in the want of an efficient govern- 
ment. 

Naples has always been distinguished as a place 
of pleasure ; and, indeed, from the loveliness of 
the climate and fertility of the surrounding coun- 
try, it may well be termed the seat of luxury. 

The origin of this city is involved in fable. Its 
foundation has been attributed to one of the Argo- 
nauts ; to Parthenope, one of the Sirens celebrated 
by Homer in his Odyssey ; to Hercules ; to ^Eneas ; 
and to Ulysses ; but it was most probably founded 
by a Greek colony, as its name Neapolis indicates, 
the same a« Paleopolis, a city that was contiguous. 



.149 

Besides., the religion, manners, language, and cus- 
toms of the Greeks, which they preserved for a 
long time, sufficiently indicated the country of its 
first inhabitants. The more ancient and powerful 
city of Cumae destroyed, and afterwards rebuilt this 
city, by the order of the oracle, when it w^as again 
called the New City, which name it has since pre- 
served. It gradually grew into power, braved the 
threats of Hannibal, by which it gained the constant 
friendship of the Romans, who made it their sum- 
mer retreat, and where the most wealthy and dis- 
tinguished of them established themselves. Under 
the emperors it became a Roman colony. Augustus, 
Hadrian, and Constantine embellished it; and it was 
regarded as one of the most distinguished cities of 
the empire. 

Its power made it respected by the barbarian 
chiefs, Alaric and Genseric, in their irruptions into 
Italy. Belisarius besieged and took it by stratagem, 
massacreing the inhabitants. After suffering the va- 
rious vicissitudes common to all the cities of Italy in 
their intestine broils, it became subject to the king 
of Spain. At last. Napoleon the Great, late em- 
peror of France and king of Italy, conquered the 
kingdom of Naples, and gave it to his brother Jo- 
seph : Joachim Murat, a lover of science and of the 
Fine Arts, succeeded him. He is described as havr 
ing governed the people with wisdom, who, in-re^ 
turn, loved him extremely. He was occupied in 
ceseantly in rendering his subjects more happy, and 

13^" 



150 

he is never spoken of but with regret. Naples is 
indebted to him for many improvements. 

It has, however, little to boast of but its climate. 
There are no ancient buildings, and the modern 
ones do not exhibit much taste. In the Studio, 
which should be a principal object to every tra- 
veller, are seen the Hercules of Glycon, commonly 
called the Farnese Hercules, which formerly adorn- 
ed the palace of that name at Rome ; the Venus 
viewing herself in the glass ; and the Flora Farnese. 
There are many statues of gladiators, one particularly 
fine ; also the two equestrian statues in bronze, of 
Marcus Nonius Balbus, father and son, which were 
found at each end of the orchestra in Herculaneum, 
and many others of the same metal dug from the 
ruins of that city and Pompeii. There were also 
some few pictures ; but the principal part had not 
been unpacked since their arrival from Palermo. The 
best of those we saw were by Raffaelle, a dead 
Christ by Annibal Carrachi, two fine heads by Rem- 
brandt, and a Danae by Titian. There were models, 
likewise, of the temples of Pa^stum, and of the 
theatre in Herculaneum. There is in this building 
a school of design, whose walls are adorned with 
the cartoons of the history of Cupid and Psyche, by 
Raifaelie, the fresco-paintings of which are in the 
Farnesiana Villa at Rome. The colossal statue of 
Buonaparte, by Canova, is also publicly shown, 
with another of Murat on horseback. In the 
•^athedral are many paintings by Luca Giordano. 

There are three statues, of which the NeapoU- 



151 

t^ns boast much ; they are seen in the chapel of SViii 
Severo ; but those persons who have been in the 
habit of studying the lovely statues of the Greeks, 
who knew so well how to clothe the human figure 
without concealing the form, will regard these only 
as curiosities in art. They have that sort of merit 
which will attract the ignorant, who are pleased 
with minute excellencies ; but taste and simplicity 
they have none. The man enclosed in a net, dis- 
plays great patience and nicety in the management 
of the chisel. The figure of Modesty, covered with 
a veil, exhibits an affectation of it, without its 
essence ; and the recumbent figure of Christ is a 
poor conceit, without a particle of feeling or pathos, 
having neither the character, nor giving one the 
least idea of that sublime being. 

The king's garden is delightfully situated by the 
side of the sea, adorned with statues, in the midst 
of which is the fine group of the Tauro Farnese, 
The subject is a grand but cruel example of filial 
affection. Zethus and Amphion, sons of Lycus, king 
of Thebes, wishing to be revenged on Dirce, by 
whose arts the king had imprisoned Antiope their 
mother, seized and tied her to the horns of a wild 
bull. According to Pliny, it was sculptured by 
Apollonius and Tauriscus, upon a single block of 
marble, ten feet square in the base, and thirteen 
feet high. 

I have already given some idea of the principal 
streets, more particularly the Strada Toledo ; but 
there is another place worthy of description, from 



J52 

its various and singular exhibitions. On the Boule- 
vards in Paris are seen jugglers, grimacfers, and 
mountebanks, with all their attendant drolleries ; in 
Venice plays are perfornied on temporary stages 
erected in a few hours, in the square of St. Mark's ; 
but in Naples there is an amusement, which 1 be- 
lieve to be peculiar to that city ; I mean the story- 
tellers, or, as they are called, the Improvisatore. 
These men are seen surrounded by audiences of 
the lower classes. They have a square space railed 
in, with a few planks for seats. Some sit, others 
stand, and numbers lie on the ground ; but all 
evince a profound attention worthy of imitation in 
superior auditories. One man relates stories of his 
own invention, at times convulsing his hearers with 
laughter, and at others drawing the tears of sensi- 
bility from their eyes. Farther on, is one who re- 
cites from Ariosto, Tasso, or other Italian poets ; 
and often, after reading a passage, he puts the book 
under his arm, and proceeds to an explanation with 
very appropriate action and gesture. The voice 
and manner of the Improvisatore, the interest ex- 
cited in the audience, every one appearing fearful 
of breathing lest they should lose a part or interrupt 
the story, the beautiful groups in which they are 
accidentally ranged, their being but half clothed, 
displaying all the varieties of the human form, com- 
bine to make it a most interesting sight to a stranger. 
These seem to be the only places in Naples where 
the least order prevails. Punch is likewise ex- 
hibited on the quay ; but although this species of 



153 

entertainment originated in Italy, I did not like It so 
well as what I have seen in London. 

The principal theatre in Naples is that of San 
Carlo. It is said to be the largest and most magni- 
ficent in Europe. In my opinion it is tawdry. 
When we visit a theatre we go to enjoy the scene, 
aad not the gilding and decorations of the audience 
part ; consequently I should say that all such are 
superfluous, and tend to destroy the effect on the 
stage. We go to a theatre to give ourselves up to 
an illusion in the scene before us ; therefore any 
thing that attracts the eye from the stage, takes 
so much away from the pleasure we hoped to 
enjoy. ^ 

It is probably the absence of these decorations in 
the French theatres that contributes so much to our 
enjoyment of their theatrical representations. The 
superiority of the Italian and French theatres in 
their mode of lighting to that of ours, must be 



, ^ I suppose tiiat there are not many persons animated by 
the same feelings which a worthy man displayed at Covent 
Garden theatre one night, A friend of mine, who sat next to 
him, observed, that when the greatest part of the audience 
was in tears, he was veiy deliberately sucking an orange. At 
the end of the play, my friend asked him how he liked tlie 
performance, when he acknowledged it was very fine. He 
then complimented him on the. philosophy he had shown, 
when few could refrain from tears, in so well suppressing 
his feelings. «' Oh," replied the man, " there is nothing in 
that ; for, in the first place, I know U is not true ; and if if 
were, what is it to me ?" 



154 

acknowledged by all who see them. Their light, 
emanating from the centre, throws every object into 
a fine breadth of light and shadow, and produces 
distinction, harmony, and repose ; while the effect 
in the English theatres, is frittered away by the 
dispersion of the lights in all parts ; and the stage, 
which ought to be the best illumined, is almost 
lost. 

We were much disappointed in the performance, 
and more particularly so in a country where we ex- 
pected so much. The singing was not above medi- 
ocrity, and the noise and chattering of ihe audience 
was abominable. To the opera succeeded the re- 
doubtable Blue Beard, quite in Astley's or Harris's 
taste, with horses, &c. and our ears were regaled in 
this land of music with the scientific air of Tink a 
Tink, No wonder the Neapolitans are wearied and 
pay little or no attention to the performance, when 
we find the same things repeated for sixty successive 
nights. 

In various parts of Naples we were assailed by the 
Vetturini, offering to convey us to Rome, Milan, 
Paris ; and then, perceiving we were Englishmen, 
to London. At the coffee-houses every luxury can 
be commanded : the ices, which are delicious, are 
served up in various shapes of fruit, and so firm, 
that the spoon will hardly make an impression on 
them. But how is it possible to enjoy these, when 
the doors are beset with crowds of miserable beings, 
men, women, and children, whose moans and pitiable 
plaints ring in our ears. To feed on luxuries when 



155 

surrounded by misery is impossible. Once we eR- 
deavoured to distribute a certain sum ampng about 
thirty of these wretched creatures ; when they be- 
came so clamorous and importunate, many who 
had already received shifting their places, that it 
was out of our power to make any distinction. Be^ 
fore we had half done, hundreds came running from 
the surrounding houses ; and, attempting to make 
our way out by another door, we w^ere again as- 
sailed, and were only indebted to our speed in run- 
ning for our escape. 

The men of the lower classes wear neither shoes 
nor stockings, and some are without shirts ; the 
children have merely a short tunic, but the women 
are in general more clothed. The latter never 
think of cutting their hair, which is disgustingly 
profuse, frizzed out on all sides ; and one head 
will present all the different shades from the light- 
est to the darkest brown. The higher classes are 
very gay in their habiliments ; but the Neapolitan 
women are universally ugly, having somewhat of 
the Egyptian character, thick lips, heavy eyelidsj 
flat foreheads, and sallow complexions. 

Although the Neapolitans have a luxuriant sea 
before ihem, and a shore of the softest sand, they 
never enter in it ; and the few that are seen bath- 
ing near the King's garden, are generally English. 
In walking along the streets of an e^^ening, there 
may be seen, under the porticos of palaces, at the 
gates of churches, on the steps of houses and ter- 
races, and by the sides of streets, crowds of La- 



156 

zaroni sunk in slumber, those being their usual 
places of rest. 

On the evening after our return from Vesuvius* 
we took tea in the balcony of our window, which 
overlooked the sea. The sun was just setting ; 
there was a most glorious sky, scenes of misery 
vanished from our minds, and we gave ourselves up 
to the enjoyment of the scene around. The de- 
liciousness of the climate, the fertility of the earth, 
producing excellent corn in abundance, and quan- 
tities of the finest fruits and vegetables, the gran- 
deur of the bay, and the magnificence of the sce- 
nery, caused that degree of inspiration which ren- 
ders us above ourselves ; and when night had fal- 
len, what a time for reflection ! The balcony of 
my window commanded the whole bay ; and from 
the bay, the Mediterranean spread itself to the 
horizon. On the left rose Vesuvius, with its burn- 
ing top to the clouds ; on the right were the grotto 
and mountain of Posiiipo ; and beyond that^ poetic 
ground with all its pleasing associations. Above, 
the moon was shining in splendour with its bor- 
rowed light, in a pure atmospheric region ; and the 
more distant stars, tvyinkling with original lustre, ^ 
gave animation to the scene. Lamps lined the 
shore ; and nothing w.is heard but the confused 
murmur of distant sounds from the busy haunts of 
men, the softness of which was occasionally inter- 
rupted by the barking of the watchful dog. The 
rattling of a carriage announced some one, who, it ' 
was possible, might be returning filled with ennui, 



157 

from a resort of public amusement— or with mor- 
tified vanity from the precincts of a court, — or 
with an aching heart from domestic calamity — or 
with the joy fatness of a lover well received by his 
beloved — or with a breast wounded with the pangs 
of jealousy — or with a bosom callous to sensibility, 
from plundering the pocket of — perhaps his friend ; 
or possibly it might be one flying to the arms of a 
beloved wife — or conveying agreeable news to a 
sincere friend — or in the buoyancy of expectation 
of meeting a lovely mistress. It passed swiftly by^ 
and was no longer heard — silence prevailed—music 
was wafted through the air — some one serenading 
' — or perhaps chanting to the Virgin. It died away 
' — silence again prevailed. Mortality v/as sunk in 
sleep, while wakeful angels guard. Address thy- 
self to thy Creator, and retire to thy couch. Who 
can behold the vast firmament, but must exclaim 
with the poet, *' That there is a God above, all 
nature cries aloud through all her works ; he must 
delight in virtue ; and that w^hich he delights in 
must be happy." 



14 



158 
CHAPTER XIII. 

VESUVIUS, HERCULANEUM, AND POMPEII. 

Hiring a carriage at Naples, we were quicklj 
conveyed to Portici, which is about six miles dis- 
tance. Many of these carriages are crazy vehicles, 
that have been a long time in the service of the 
public, and are generally continued so, until they 
drop to pieces. Ours expired with old age on its 
entry into Portici. On the road, one of the wheels 
gave way, leaving us in rather a perilous condition. 
But this seemed to afford no small matter of merri- 
ment to our postillion, who pointed out its state in 
apparent triumph to others passing by, and drove 
with increased velocity, that it might not tumble to 
pieces before the termination of our course. His 
aim was accomplished ; but when in full gallop up 
the town, the wheels gave way, flying in all direc- 
tions, the carriage sunk to the ground, and we were 
all thrown out, escaping, however, with only a few 
bruises. 

At length we reached, not *^ old Ocean's utmost 
bounds," but the utmost bounds of our journey. 
We had seen Naples, viewed the collection at Por- 
tici, descended into the damps of Herculaneum, 
ascended Vesuvius to its burning top, and wandered 
in the streets of Pompeii. Their several images 
crowd so on the mind, as to produce a contest, be- 



159 

iween the works of nature and art, which shall be 
first recorded. 

It is not in the power of language to do justice to 
the grandeur of Vesuvius seen at the time of an 
eruption. The explosions of the crater, sending 
forth flames, smoke, and burning particles ; the 
eruption of volcanic matter, pouring itself in a red- 
hot body, and descending the mountain's side ; the 
crashing noise by which its eruptions are accom- 
panied, are terrific, — are awful, — are sublime. We 
were fortunate in the time of our visit, as the moun- 
tain had begun to burn about two months before oui 
arrival. 

Taking a guide at Portici^ we began at dusk to 
ascend Vesuvius. As we advanced, flashes occa- 
sionally illumined the atmosphere, while sounds 
like distant thunder were heard. From different 
points w^e had fine views of the bay of Naples, and 
which, from being at night, were singularly beauti- 
ful. The land rising like an amphitheatre round it, 
and the lights running along the shore, extended 
from Portici to Posilipo. Soon after nine we ar- 
rived at the hermitage, w^here the good old friar 
John entertained us and supplied our wants. We 
supped on ham, bread, cheese, and fruit, and drank 
of the wine called Lachryma Christi. W^hat a per- 
version of names ! We laid ourselves down till one 
o'clock, not unaccompanied by our usual Italian 
bedfellows, and then commenced our second ascent, 
the mountam, *' ever and anon," bursting forth. 
Our progress was slow, the ascent being steep, rug- 



160 

ged, and painful. We often slipped down knee 
deep in cinders, and we were obliged to use our 
hands as well as our feet, while every ten mi- 
nutes we stopped to take breath ; the air blowing 
alternately hot and cold. 

Some time before our arrival at the foot of the 
crater, the guide put in our hands some ashes, 
which we could not retain for the heat : these were 
thrown out at an eruption a few years back.* As 
we advanced, the lava on which we trod was warm, 
and in the fissures we perceived it red hot, where 
an egg or a chicken could be quickly roasted. At 
the foot of the crater we sat down and refreshed our- 
selves with fruit and wine, brought by one of the 
guides. Here was a scene to contemplate. The 
top of the mountain was divided into two points, dis- 
tinguished as the old crater and the new ; the one 
belching forth volumes of black smoke and clouds 
of dust, intermixed with flames ; the other present- 
ing a constant fiery mouth, burning with the fierce- 
ness and intensity of a prodigious furnace, and from 
which flames incessantly issued. Its eruptions suc- 
ceeded each other with only the interval of a few 
moments, sending up into the air quantities of burn- 
ing particles, cracking and dividing, forming a most 
extraordinary sight, and then descending with a ter- 
rific noise, again into the crater, or rolling down the 
cone of cinders already formed. Enormous red hot 



In 1804. 



161 

masses came down to our feet. How contemptible 
did all power appear in comparison with this ! Here 
was an object above the control of man ; no one 
could say to it, Stop or go on ; and we almost fan- 
cied we heard, in the coarse rvittling noise from 
within, riotous laughter at the imbecility of mortals. 
Here a power above human was seen,— a hand di- 
vine. These are thy works, O God ! How infinite 
thy power ! 

We recommenced our ascent, occasionally cover- 
ed with showers of cinders, which spread themselves 
in every direction. Advancing towards the other 
side of the mountain, there was a sight beyond our 
expectations, in an immense fiery body, which pre- 
sented itself to our wondering eyes. -We thought 
"we saw it move, yet doubted ; but, being convinced, 
w^e screamed with delight. To approach it, we 
clambered over the rugged cliffs of lava, the sul- 
phurous smoke at times enveloping and almost suf- 
focating us ; the heat, increasing as we advanced, 
became excessive ; but the sight was grand. Rolling 
towards us with an undulating motion, one part press- 
ing on the other, came on a vast body of red hot 
lava, which, dividing itself into two streams, moved 
down the side of the mountain majesticallj'^ slow. It 
is impossible to describe our feelings at the sight of 
this wonderful phenomenon, so grand and so new. 
We then stood between it and the mound raised by 
the eruption, on some of the old lava, under which 
the current passed, and formed a sort of bridge 

over it for a few yards. On th^ one side v/as the 
14* 



162 

mountain almost continually exploding, throwing 
high in the air, fire and red hot stones, which came 
down again in a golden show^er,^ the ground at the 
same time trembling with the convulsion ; and, on' 
the other side, a few yards from our feet, issued a 
mass of liquid fire. The heat becoming intolera- 
ble, we were obliged to move ; however, we ven- 
tured to approach the burning stream, and with the 
assistance of a long stick, got some of the liquid 
fire, with which we incrusted some pieces of silver. 
Fatigued, we then laid ourselves down at some little 
distance on the lava of the first eruption, and feasted 
our eyes. 

This eruption was trifling, in comparison with 
others ; nor was there any actual danger in the 
places where we were, the explosions being in so 
vertical a direction, that a great portion of the par- 
ticles fell again into the crater ; and those which fell 
on the outside we were aware of before they could 
reach us ; yet, there was certainly, as in every 



* Dante's description, in the 14th canto, of one of the places 
of punishment, occiiiTed to me : 

•^^Upon the sand, a gentle fall of fire 
Rain'd like the flakes of softly dropping snow. 

That it the sand inflam'd : 

They ran continually about; nor could 
Their scorched hands with quickest motion quell 
The firq that them on every side attack'd/' 



163 

thing else, a possibility of danger. But I believe 
there are few who would not run some risk to en- 
joy what we saw, I had always thought that the 
lava issued from the mouth, the same place as the 
eruption ; but here it came from the foot of the 
cone of cinders raised by the explosions. 

We waited to see the sun rise. The surround- 
ing country appeared covered with vineyards and 
population. The sea expanded itself before us, 
Pompeii, Torre del Greco, Portici, and Naples, 
lay beneath. With regret we took our leave ; 
and turning to take a farewell look, we perceived 
the lava moving much more rapidly. Our descent 
was laughably ludicrous, sliding down almost on 
our backs, going ten yards at every step ; often 
buried up. to our middle in cinders, and at other 
times going on without the possibility of stopping 
ourselves. We came down, in fourteen minutes, 
a part of the mountain that took an hour and a half 
to ascend. Taking tea at the hermitage, and 
thanking our venerable host, we descended the 
rough road up which we had toiled the previous 
evening. At one place we saw five layers of lava, 
with a quantity of earth between each, being of the 
five principal eruptions. 

Vesuvius is joined by two other mountains. It 
is supposed that the three have formed one of a 
greater height than Vesuvius, and that an eruption 
caused the division. It is of a pyramidical form, 
and about 3694 feet above the level of the sea. 
The circumference of the three mountains, at their 



164 

base, is about thirty miles, and they ai^e detached 
from the Appenines. 

The first eruption that is recorded of Mount Ve- 
suvius, happened the 24th of August, in the year 
79, of the Christian aera, which overwhelmed the 
cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabia. But it 
is supposed that there had been eruptions of greater 
antiquity ; and which is almost proved by the vol- 
canic matters found at a great depth in the earth, 
as likewise the circumstance of the streets of Her- 
culaneum and Pompeii being paved with lava and 
other similar substances. The eruption of 79 was 
frightful. The volcano opened all at once, with 
a most horrible crash During three days the sky 
was obscured, and the waters of the sea were re- 
pulsed far from the shore. Pliny, the naturalist, 
set out from Messina, where he commanded the 
Roman flotilla, to examine the eruption nearer, 
and became a victim to it ; he was suffocated at 
Stabia. Pliny, the younger, his nephew, has left 
in his letters a very ample and exact description of 
this terrible explosion. The cinders of this erup- 
tion were thrown into Egypt and Syria. That of 
472 covered all Europe with cinders ; and, at Con- 
stantinople the terror was so great, that the emperor 
Leo quitted the city, although seven hundred miles 
from Vesuvius. 

It is related of the eruption in 1036, that the 
sides of the mountain burst open, and a torrent of 
fire rushed out as far as the sea. That of 1651, 
the third in the order of dates, was the most violent 



165 

and formidable of all, and the most terrible to the 
sight. The 16th of December, after strong shocks 
of an earthquake, and black whirlwinds of smoke 
elevated in the form of a pine, the flank of the 
mountain burst, and vomited on the side of Naples 
a torrent of lava, which, dividing itself into seven 
streams, ran towards as many different places on 
the coast, destroying all the country-houses and 
villages on that side. There came out, after this, 
torrents of boiling water, accompanied by the most 
violent earthquakes. This deluge of water inun- 
dated the country, tore up the trees, overthrew the 
houses, swallowed up more than five hundred per- 
sons towards Torre del Greco, drowned many 
others, and carried its ravages to the city of Na- 
pies, where three thousand persons perished. It 
lasted until the middle of January. From 1701 
to 1737, there did not pass a year without the 
eruption of lava or smoke. Those from 1737 to 
1766 were considerable ; but that of the 19th of 
October, 1767, was most fearful. The trembling 
of the earth was felt at twenty miles distance. At 
Naples it rained sand and cinders. The course of 
the lava was three hundred and twenty feet wide 
and twenty-four feet deep. The next great erup- 
tion in 1794, destroyed a great part of Torre del 
Greco. They count thirty-six eruptions ; but sel- 
dom a year passes without an emission of cinders, 
lava, or other matters, sometimes by the summit 
iind sometimes by the sides. 

To the museum at Portici, which contaiiis many 



166 

of the curiosities drawn from Herculaneum and 
Pompeii, we directed our steps. Among the trea- 
sures extracted from those cities are many beauti- 
ful paintings of birds, beasts, and fruit ; some writ- 
ing on the walls by the soldiers ; caricatures ; and 
a rich and well executed painting in architecture > 
which would make an admirable drop scene. The 
single figures are in general well designed, and 
many of the. groups are excellent. 

The first thing to which they called our attention, 
was a strong hkeness of Napoleon, which once 
adorned Herculaneum. Among many of the sub- 
jects painted, we particularized the death of Sopho- 
nisba, Dido abandoned by iEneas, Diana and En- 
dymion, Polypheme sending a letter by Love to 
Galatea, Jove, Alcmena, and Hercules, Jupiter 
and Leda, Chiron and Achilles, Orestes and Py- 
lades, the Roman matron, Bacchus and Ariadne, 
forming a lovely group, and Theseus and the Mi- 
notaur, where children are embracing his knees 
and kissing his feet, being full of pathos and senti- 
ment. To these may be added — a Jove, Hercules, 
lo, Hermaphroditus, and a beautiful Eagle. The 
whole of the paintings are in fresco, but most of 
them are varnished, which has brought out their 
colours with much brilliancy. All these once adorn- 
ed the houses and theatres of the ancient Romans. 
There are many inscriptions and portions of archi- 
tecture ; some impressions in the ashes where bo- 
dies were found, sculls, and other bones; with sam- 



167 

pies of beans, barley, and different sorts of corn, 
all burnt by the heat of the lava, which overran the 
cities. 

Herculaneum is now beneath the village of Por- 
tici ; the descent to it is by a broad staircase ; but 
there is little to be seen, excepting parts of a 
theatre. From the fear of endangering the founda- 
tion of an ill-formed building, called the palace of 
Portici, they fill up as fast as they excavate, draw- 
ing the treasure forth and throwing the rubbish into 
the last from the next excavation. However, there 
is much to interest ; doors are seen lying between 
the lava, preserving their original shape, but re- 
duced to a cinder. In other parts are columns over- 
turned, which oppose all further progress. The 
colours on the walls appear in their original lustre, 
and many inscriptions inform us what has been. 
Two, which appeared at each end of the orchestra, 
on the pedestals of those equestrian statues in bronze 
now at Naples, I noted down : 

MNONIO-FA-FBALBO 
PR-PROCOS 
HERCULANENSES 

arlo ilio 
APCLAUDIOCFPULCHRO 
cos • IMP 
HERCUL ANENSES-POST -MORT 



, 168 

The extent of the orchestra is very consider- 
able. In one of the narrow passages, there was a 
sight which shocked us very much at the first glance; 
it was a perfect impression of a man's face in the 
lava, the hair, and every feature strongly marked. 
However, we quickly recollected it could not be 
from a living being, as, from the burning heat, it 
would have been instantly destroyed ; but it was 
from one of the statues that had been -thrown down 
in the destruction of the city : the lava passed over 
it, took its impression, and the statue having been 
removed, this remains as a curiosity to visiters. We 
left this place with regret, condemning the im- 
becility of the Neapolitan government, which 
had not done more to satisfy the wishes of tra- 
vellers. 

The excavations in Herculaneum have been made 
with a greater degree of trouble than in Pompeii, 
(independently of the narrowness of mind which 
conducted them,) from the city being much nearer 
to Vesuvius than the other, and consequently being 
more quickly involved in destruction by the flowing 
of the lava. This fluid seems to have intersected 
all the buildings, and covered the city to a very 
great height ; and when in a congealed state, it is 
much more difficult to work through than the mere 
removal of the ashes which appear to have smother- 
ed Pompeii in the first instance. Among many dis- 
coveries made, was the bed of the river Sarno, on 
the banks of which Herculaneum was built. 

Hercules is said to have been the founder of this 



169 

city, on his return from Spain, where he had de- 
feated the tyrant Geryon ; and from him it derives 
its name. It is supposed that the Osci first inhabit- 
ed this city, a people who assisted Turnus against 
^neas. From the indecent tendency of their man- 
ners, the word obscosnum (quasi oscenum) is sup- 
posed to he derived. It was successively occupied 
by the Etruscans, the Greeks, the Samnites, and the 
Romans. Under the last it became rich, and was 
one of the principal cities of Campania, when it was 
destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79, It 
was so far forgotten, that the site of it was disputed, 
when it was accidentally discovered in 1713, by a 
man digging a well. The treasures that have been 
since drawn from it, have been spread over Europe, 
carrying its fame along with them. 

On our descent from Vesuvius we proceeded to 
Pompeii. Our horses were miserable ; and the dust 
on the road was so deep, that it was with great 
difficulty they could draw the carriage along. Pom- 
peii is about eight miles from Portici. In advancing 
to it, we passed through Torre del Greco, which is 
partly in ruins from a late eruption. 

We alighted, and were at once introduced into 
what appeared a fairy city, whose inhabitants, by 
some charm, had disappeared. With breathless im- 
patience and light steps, as if fearful of disturbing 
the genii of the place, we tripped over the ground, 
peeping into their chambers, temples, and theatres ; 
at times admiring the beauty of the painting, the 
^vmmetry of the statues, the elegance of the archie 
15 



170 

lecture, or the convenience of the apartments. 
We then ran along the streets, glancing at the shops 
on each side, still with the feeling that we were in- 
truders, and at last gave ourselves up to the enjoy- 
ment of the surrounding objects. An ecstatic feel- 
ing possessed us in this city ; which, after being 
buried for near eighteen centuries, seems to have 
been refound but to delight the eyes. Dispersing 
ourselves, we again discovered each other, from a 
window, the top of a theatre, or seated in one of the 
shops, or, by the voice issuing from a chamber un* 
derneath. 

The first place we entered was a space adorned 
with columns, called the barracks. On the walls 
may be seen writing, &c. We examined, in succesr 
sion, a small and a large theatre, a temple of Isis, 
one of Esculapius, a Greek temple, a school, the 
study of a sculptor, and the walls of the city. We 
afterwards passed over a large tract of ground co- 
vered with vines, under which the greater part of 
the city still remains buried, to the farther side, 
where there is a magnificent amphitheatre, not so 
large as the Colloseum, but much more perfect. 
The interior of the arena, the corridors, &c. are 
embellished with paintings. This was cleared by 
order of King Joachim, who is as much panegyrized 
here as Napoleon is elsewhere. It appears to have 
been built in a hollow, the ground which surrounds 
it approaching very near the top ; and we descended 
to the arena by arcades regularl}^ paved. It takes 
the usual form of an oval. Returning, we entered 



171 

the Forum. Its beauty, with that of the surround- 
ing buildings, although stripped of their ornaments, 
delighted us. There is much simplicity and good 
proportion in the architecture. Its temples are 
lovely, displaying the Grecian Doric, Ionic, and Co- 
rinthian orders, in th^ir simplest forms. The tri- 
bune of the latter ordel* is magnificent. Statues of 
the consuls, colossal horses, &c. in bronze, once 
adorned this place. 

We next visited the habitation of Sallust ; and 
although we could have wished it to have belonged 
to a more virtuous character, yet we took great 
pleasure in examining the apartments. Throughout 
the house, there is an air of luxury ; the rooms are 
elegantly painted, the mosaics and various richly 
coloured marbles which ornament the floors are ar- 
ranged with much taste. The bath, in particular, 
arrested our attention. In different compartments 
are paintings of Diana and Acteon, Europa and Jove, 
Mars and Venus, with ornamental figures. The 
floor of this chamber displayed the richest marbles 
disposed in various shapes of fruit, flowers, and 
birds. A large family mansion was another object 
of our curiosity. All its various offices are sub- 
terranean. We descended to them, and saw the 
wiae pitchers ranged in a row, and various uten- 
sils. 

The streets are narrow ; but, as Rousseau ob- 
served when he entered London, we likewise here 
found, '* that the common people counted for some- 
thing," for there are raised paths on each side for 



172 

foot passengers. Within the curbstone is naosaiG 
work ; but the carriage way is paved with large 
black stones of unequal sizes, fitted to each other. 
The shops are numerous, many still discovering 
their former occupations. An apothecary's, a 
tavern, and one for the sale of liquors of some kind, 
are the most conspicuous. The counters of these 
shops are inlaid with coloured marbles ; and the 
cement which joins them is still so strong, as to pre- 
vent their being removed without the application of 
great force. The street on the outside of the gate 
which faces Herculaneum is adorned with tombs, 
which appear as if only just erected, — though 
in a much better taste than those of the present 
times. 

To wander thus in the streets of the ancient Ro- 
mans ; to visit their chambers, their shops, their 
baths ; to examine their furniture, utensils, &c. to 
admire their paintings, statues, and the never to 
be sufficiently admired elegance of their temples, 
would be a delightful daily task for many months. 
We were enraptured with this seeming effect of en- 
chantment. 

This city was overwhelmed at the same time with 
Herculaneum ; but it excites our surprise, when we 
observe how little it is hidden, that it was not dis- 
covered at an earlier period. The reason why it is 
more easily cleared than Herculaneum, and that 
every thing is in so perfect a state, may be thus ex- 
plained. Being at a greater distance from Vesuvius* 



173 

if was at first covered with ashes, the lava forming 
a crust only over the whole. 

By the removal of these cinders, the whole city 
may be exposed to the sun, in the same manner as 
those parts which are already cleared. Its founder 
is unknown, but its early inhabitants were the same 
as those of Herculaneum.^ 



^ Correct views of this highly interesting city, with a plan, 
&,c are now publishing in numbers, from drawings by Gandy, 
-and engraved by Heath, 



15^ 



174 



CHAPTER XIV. 

EXCURSIONS TO POZZUOLI AND BAIiE. 

On our way to Pozzuoli from Naples, we passed 
the celebrated grotto of Posilipo, cut through the 
mountain of that name.^ It is about half a mile in 
length, and is sufficiently broad for two carriages to 
pass. This grotto was probably begun by extract- 
ing stone and sand, and afterwards continued to 
shorten the road from Pozzuoli to Naples, which be- 
fore passed over the mountain. There are various 
accounts as to its origin. It is said to have been dug 
by the inhabitants of Cumse, a city celebrated in an- 
tiquity ; and it is very likely they formed it, to facili- 
tate their progress to Naples and that part of Cam- 
pania, particularly as their works are described to 
have been very much in the taste of the ancient 
people of Egypt, Greece, Sicily, and Italy. Varra, 
attributes it to Lucullus. Strabo says that Agrippa 
caused two grottos to be formed in ihe environs of 
Pozzuoli, under the direction of the architect Coc- 
cejus ; one of which conducted from the Lake Aver- 
nus to Cumee ; the other from Pozzuoh to Naples. 



* Posilipo is a Greek word, which signifies cessation of sor- 
row, the suspension of which the beauty of this situation is^ 
supposed to have caused. Marius, Pompey, Virgil, Cicero, aird 
Lucullus, had houses here. 



lit) 

The common people attribute it to the enchantment 
of Virgil ; but it is most probably a work much 
more ancient than Rome. In height it is about fifty 
feet, having two openings in the roof which admit 
the light ; and there is a chapel to the Virgin in the 
centre, where a lamp burns at night. The direction 
of this grotto is such, that toward:^ the end of 
October the setting sun illuminates its whole 
length. 

Above, on the hill, is the tomb of Virgil. jElius 
Donat, a celebrated grammarian, who lived in 354 of 
the Christian aera, mentions, in his life of Virgil, 
that his ashes were transported to Naples by the 
order of Augustus, and placed on the road to Pozzu- 
oli. Many concur in having seen the sarcophagus 
or cinerary urn of Virgil, Alphonso Heredias, who 
lived in 1500, said that it was constructed of brick^ 
with nine columns in the middle, which supported 
the urn of marble with the ancient distich : 

Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc 
Parthenope : cecini pascua, rum, duces. 

Nothing remains but a square room with an arched 
roof. Above the ruin, among many briers, pelli^ 
tories, and other wild herbs, is an ancient laurel, 
which, according to the fable, grew of itself upon the 
tomb of the poet, after his ashes had been deposited 
there. They say that it is in vain to cut or pluck 
it up, it always buds again ; nevertheless, to pre- 
serve the species, slips of the tree are carefully 
planted around, and the principal branch does 



176 

not appear to have been there more than sixty 
years. 

The territory of Pozzuoli comprises a country the 
most singular perhaps in the world. Nature offers, 
besides an astonishing fertility, phenomena the most 
rare and curious, in the volcanos which are not en- 
tirely extinguished. This place has been celebrated 
in Heathen mythology, the poets having made it the 
seat of many of their fables, and contributed much 
to the attraction of numbers of people. When the 
Romans became masters of the world, they made it 
the centre of their delights ; they embelhshed it 
with magnificence, and spread there the treasures 
which they had brought from other nations. They 
found upon its shores, a sweetness of climate, a 
fruitful soil, ease of mind, a remedy for their ills, 
and a liberty which they could not enjoy in great 
capitals. It was covered with delightful country- 
houses, and with the most sumptuous public and pri- 
vate buildings. The edifices of pleasure were built 
like cities ; and Cicero, in speaking of this country,, 
calls it, ^' Puieolana et Cumana Regna,^^ the kingdom 
of Pozzuoli and Cumae. 

This fortunate country did not survive the fall of 
the Roman empire. It became uncultivated, and so 
miserable, that the air we respire is unwholesome 
and pernicious. Those populous and flourishing 
cities exist no more, and there cannot be found even 
a trace of their ancient grandeur. Pozzuoli pre- 
sents but a pale and afflicL^.i population ; and at each 
fttep we meet with wrecks of antique monuments. 



177 

The phenomena of nature, which hate not passed 
through the same vicissitudes, still excite atten- 
tion ; particularly in the quantity of mineral wa- 
ters, which her bounty offers as remedies of all our 
ills. 

A mile and a half from the grotto is the Lago 
d'Agnano. It is about two miles in circumference, 
has no fish, but frogs innumerable. We were asto- 
nished, as the carriage drove along its border, to 
see the agitation of the water, which we afterwards 
discovered to be caused by myriads of these animals, 
which our passing had disturbed on its grassy banks, 
who were taking refuge in the lake. This, like 
many others, is supposed to be the crater of an ex- 
tinguished volcano, and that the action of the sub- 
terranean fire is still seen in the bubbling of the 
water at times. Others think, as the water is not 
warm, that it may be caused by some vapour dis- 
engaging itself. I am inclined to believe, that this 
effect is produced by a more simple agency ; for 
when we saw it, it had all the appearance of boiling 
water ; but this agitation was caused by the frogs, 
as before described. The waters are mineral, 
and good for many maladies. Upon the borders 
of this lake are vapour baths, which are excellent 
for the rheumatism, gout, paralysm, &c. kc. 

That which most attracts the curiosity of the 
generality of travellers, is the Grotta del Cane, or 
the Grotto of the Dog. It is dug in a sandy soil to 
the depth of about ten feet, nine feet high in the 
entrance, and four feet wide. A light humid va- 



178 

pour is seen rising about six inches from the soil, 
which is always wet : the heat, on entering, is felt 
very sensibly ; but to place one's self within the pow- 
er of the vapour is death. The effect is exemplified 
to a stranger upon a dog, and also a well lighted 
flambeau, the one losing the power of animation, the 
other becoming extinct. A dog belonging to the 
owner of this place was brought, (who appeared by 
his cries to know well what he was to undergo,) and 
after being held under its influence for a few mo- 
ments, at first having a species of convulsion, 
dropped senseless. He was placed in the open air, 
and very quickly recovered himself. A flambeau 
was then lighted, and the moment it was brought in 
contact with the vapour, it became instantly extin- 
guished, the smoke not mixing but floating on its 
top. To judge from the movements of the dog's 
lungs, it was the air which f^iiled him in respiration 
while in the grotto ; for when placed on the grass 
on the outside, he drew in the air with long draughts, 
which almost immediately brought him to life. Birds 
are overcome still more quickly than quadrupeds. 
A cock, the moment his head is in the vapour, vo- 
mits and expires on the spot. Its effect is less sudden 
upon the human species ; but it is related that the 
cultivators of this country, who slept in that place 
before the discovery of the vapour, awoke no more. 
From observation and experiments, this vapour was 
found to be neither sulphurous, vitriolic, arsenical, 
nor alkaline, and that it is not unwholesome was 
sufficiently proved by the dog, which is put in many 



179 

times in the day, and that for years, without ever 
suffering harm from it, only being incommoded 
during the time of the suspension of respiration. 
These observations brought forth many opinions, 
but no satisfactory explanation. It was reserved 
for our time, when physic and natural history have 
made such great progress, to give a true ex- 
plication Since the discovery that has been 
made of the nature and quality of fixed air, it is 
very evident that we cannot attribute to any other 
cause the effect of the vapour of this grotto. 

A mile from the Lago d'Agnano is the Solfatara, 
so named from the quantity of sulphur it contains. 
It is an oval plain, surrounded by hills, and nearly 
a mile long. It was anciently called the Forum of 
Vulcan, a name commonly given to those places 
which showed any indication of fire. Even now 
there are evident signs of violent burning, of hot 
waters, of sulphur, and of a continual fire so cele- 
brated in history and fable. But that which gives it 
its principal celebrity is being the place described by 
the poets, where Hercules defeated the giants, 1238 
years before the Christian sera. 

Pozzuoli is seven miles from Naples, situated 
upon the gulf called by its name. It was founded, 
according to Strabo, 522 years before the Christian 
aera, and 637 after the foundation of Cumae, by 
Dicius, son of Neptune, or of Hercules ; and, ac- 
cording to Suidas, by the Samians, who came to 
Cumae under the conduct of Dicearchus 469 years 
before the Christian aera. It was at first called 



180 

Dlcearchia, from the name of its founder. Puzzuoli, 
or Puteoli, is derived from its number of wells or 
mineral sources. These wells are supposed to 
have been dug by the Romans, when Fabius con- 
ducted there a colony in the war against Hannibal. 
This city was anciently a republic, and then a Ro- 
man colony. Cicero calls it a municipal city ; and, 
in the time of Vespasian, it was named Colonia Fla- 
via. When the Romans made this country the seat 
of luxury, it was very considerable : there are 
many remains of antiquity ; edifices, tombs, &c. 
Two of the latter were discovered a few days be- 
fore our arrival. They were found at a considera- 
ble depth in a vineyard near the city. On the tops 
were figures, recumbent, and the sides were richly 
sculptured. The figures were in high relief, repre- 
senting passages from the Heathen mythology. The 
chambers in which they were placed had arched 
roofs, and were ornamented all round with mosaic 
work. Among the ancient edifices which remain, 
is the temple of Augustus, now called the Cathedral 
of St. Januarius. It is related that St. Paul preach- 
ed there. Puteoli is mentioned in the 28th chapter 
of the Acts of the Apostles. 

Little remains of the amphitheatre ; but they 
show a cell where St. Januarius and many martyrs 
were confined, and who were exposed on the arena. 
An inscription tells us that this saint being exposed 
to famished bears, these animals went down on their 
knees before him, in consequence of which they 
were obliged to cut off his head. 



181 

Near this is a subterranean building, divided in 
many chambers, called the Labyrinth of DaedaluSo 
On the shore of the gulf west of Pozzuoli, was the 
vast country house of Cicero, called Academia, and 
where he composed his books entitled, *' Academi- 
cal Questions." Curiosities are to be purchased 
without number. 

Here are the remains of the famous bridge of 
Caligula. What we see are the ruins of the Mole 
of twenty-five arches, built into the sea to protect 
the vessels from tempests, and for commercial 
purposes. This manner of building is more 
light and commodious than when solid. It is com- 
posed of brick and stone, joined with lime and the 
pozzolana ; a sand found in great quantities in the 
city, which, when united to lime, forms a very 
hard cement, capable of resisting every species 
of humidity. At the extremity of the Mole began 
the bridge of this mad emperor, who, after the ex« 
ample of Xerxes, wished to triumph over the sea^ 
It extended to Baiae, being 3600 feet in a straight line,. 
The difficulty of building towards the middle, where 
the sea was so deep, caused him to unite a prodigi- 
ous number of boats, which were fixed by anchors 
and fastened together by chains. The road was 
paved and covered with sand, and had parapets on 
each side. The first day after it was finished, he 
passed over it on a horse richly caparisoned, crown- 
ed with oak, and followed by an immense crowd, 
assembled from all parts to enjoy the sight of this 
truly fantastical and imaginary triumph. The second 



182 

daj he displayed all his stateliness and hauteur, be- 
ing drawn in a triumphal chariot, carrying on his 
head the crown of laurel given by the Parthians to 
Darius. All these exorbitant expenses had no 
other use than to satisfy the extravagant pride of 
Caligula. 

From here we see the coast of Baiee, the land of 
the Cimmerians, beyond which is the Lake Avernus, 
the infernal regions, and the Elysian fields. Monte 
Nuovo is also seen, which rose in one night in the 
centre of the Lucrine lake. This lake, famous for 
the fish that were put in it to fatten for Roman sen- 
sualists, is now no more. On the night of the 29th 
September, 1538, there was ja violent earthquake^ 
which swallowed a large village, called Tripergone^ 
with all its inhabitants ; and afterwards there arose 
in the lake the mountain called as above. The en- 
virons were so ruined by the violence of this erup- 
tion, that twenty-four hours afterwards no vestige 
remained. The sea, which had retired from its 
borders, returned with fury, and occupied the place 
where the village had been. 

It is usual to embark at Pozzuoli for Baias ; but 
night coming on obliged us to return, and we deter- 
mined to go by sea the next morning from Naples. 
Accordingly we took a boat, and enjoyed, under a 
heavenly sky, a most delightful sail. The water 
was so smooth that we imperceptibly glided on, and, 
but for the objects on shore, might have supposed 
()urselves stationary. Chelsea reach may certainly 
be regarded as a dangerous sea, in comparison with 



183 

the Mediterranean. What a reproach to human be- 
ings, that there should be found one individual to 
interrupt the harmony of nature. The delicious- 
ness of the air is almost a substitute for food ; but 
many gross mortals are more delighted with the sight 
of a sumptuous dinner, where they can indulge their 
real appetites, than with the most lovely scene : un- 
acquainted with books, they can have no pleasing- 
associations 1, and where nothing is sow^n, no harvest 
can be expected. Hence, in a great measure, arises 
that general indulgence in sensuality. 

How different was our situation to that of 
Ulysses, when about to visit this very place. 
With light hearts, we entered the boat, the con- 
tinued shor^ presenting new beauties for our en- 
joyment, and calling forth all our early recol- 
lections. Ulysses, on leaving tho Island of Ciice, 
says :— 

"Now to the shores we be*id, a mournful train, 
Climb the tali bark, and launch into the main. 
At once the mast we rear, at once unbind 
The spacious sheet, and stretch it to the wind. 
Then pale and pensive stand, with cares oppress'dj 
And solemn horror saddens every breast." 

Pope's Trans. Odyssey, Book XI. 

The coast we passed along was delightful. Islands, 
rocks, verdure, ruins, villas, towns, &c. appeared in 
succession. We passed what is called the School of 
Virgil. It consists of some walls and excavations in 
the rock. It is most probably the remains of the 



184 

grotto of Lncullus, where he had baths formed, his 
country-house being on the spot. 

On a projecting point of the rock, sat a monk 
with a long stick like a fishing-rod, having a line at 
the end, to which was attached a bag, and by which 
he fished the money out of the pockets of the pious 
individuals w^ho might pass. Captain Grose's face- 
tious definition of fishing-rod^ would not apply here. 
We now approached the dread land of the Cimoje- 
rians : 

^' There, in a lonely land and gloomy cells, 
The dusky nation of Cimmeria dwells ; 
The sun ne'er views the uncomfortable seats, 
When radiant he advances or retreats. 
Unhappy race, whom endless night invades, 
Clouds the dull air, and wraps them round in shades." 

Odyssey, Book XI. 



We landed at the mole of Bai^, where the bridge 
of Caligula joined from Pozzuoli. It takes its name 
from Bajus, a companion of Ulysses, who was 
buried there. Julius Caesar had there a country- 
house, in which Marcellus was poisoned by Livia, 
the wife of Augustus, who wished to make her son 
Tiberius emperor. It is young Marcellus, cut off 
in the prime of youth, of whom Virgil speaks so 
pathetically and tenderly in the sixth book of 



* Fishing-rod— a long stick, with a fool at one end and a bait 
at the other. 



185 

the ^neid. Octaviai, on hearing these lines read, 
fainted — 

" This youth, the blissful vision of a day, 
Shall just be shown on earth, and snatch'd away : 
The gods too high had raised the Roman state, 
Were but their gifts as permanent as great. 
No youth shall equal hopes of glory give, 
No youth afford so great a cause to grieve : 
The Trojan honour and the Roman boast, 
Admired when living and adored when lost I*'**' 

Besides the house of Caesar, Seneca speaks of 
those of Pompey and Marius, which were situated 
on high between the lake Avernus and the Stews of 
Tritolie He says that they were built before Baiee 
became a scene of debauchery, but, that they were 
castles rather than country-houses, and unfit for k 
philosopher to inhabit. The waters rendered this 
place a rendezvous for the voluptuous ; women of 
pleasure came to spend the autumn : the Romans 
were attracted, and each one wished to build ; but 
there not being sufficient space, they projected their 
substructions even into the sea^ and the whole 
space was covered with magnificence. Horace re- 
proaches the voluptuaries of his time, that not con- 
tent with the vast extent of shore, they must en- 



* Who can peruse these lines, but must perceive their appli- 
cation to our lovely departed Princess Charlotte, cut off In the 
iJower of her age i With her, fell the natioii's dearest hope^ 
aad best pledge of future happiness. 
16^ 



186 

croach on the boundaries of the sea. Many of these 
immense substructions are still seen ; but the sea has 
swallowed up the buildings, the terraces, and the 
gardens they supported. 

It is worthy of remark, that in every instance the 
cement is harder than the bricks, the latter moul- 
dering away while the former retains all its firmness: 
this has a curious effect in some of the buildings. 
Nothing demonstrates more the vicissitudes and 
fragility of human affairs than the sight of these 
shores, covered with ruins, and actually deserted. 
The air even is described to be infected by the 
exhalations which rise from all parts ; and it 
is regaining the character given to it in fabulous 
history. 

There are the remains of three temples, of Ve- 
nus, of Mercury and of Diana. That of Mercury 
is a rotundo, like the pantheon of Agrippa at Rome, 
and has a most singular echo. The least whisper 
!S heard ; a sigh is softly repeated ; and when you 
laugh the roof is convulsed with the sound. When 
you speak low with your face to the wall, a person 
on the opposite side can hear perfectly well, while 
those in the centre hear nothing. This, I believe, 
proves that the roof is elliptical. When alone in this 
place, you are astonished at the sound of your own 
voice ; and it brings forcibly to one's recollection 
the beautiful story related by Ovid of Echo and 
Narcissus. 

They point out the tomb of Agrippina ; but al- 
ihough this unfortunate mother w^as murdered here 



187 

by order of her son Nero, yet it is doubted ; as it has 
more the appearaace of the remains of a theatre than 
a tomb. 

We then visited the baths of Nero, otherwise call- 
ed the Stews of Tritoli : the approach to ihem is 
most romantic* They consist of excavation in the 
rock, forming a succession of chambers divi ed into 
an upper and lower range. In the upper one the 
hot vapour rises, producing great heat and a profuse 
perspiration. There are seen small recesses, but 
sufficiently large to receive a human being, with a 
trifling elevation in each to lay the head on where 
the patients are placed. The lower range com- 
prises the hot water baths, which are close to each 
other, almost in the shape of coffins, and on a level 
with the earth. In these the patients lie, being con- 
stantly supplied by the water, which issues hot from 
the earth. The sick remain in these stews 
about half an hour, and then are carried to a place 
less hot ; they are often rubbed, the better to excite 
perspiration — 

'^ Now hellward bending we o'er the beach desci^ 
The dolesome passage to the infernal sky : 

Here opened hell ----'» 

Odyssey, Book XI. 

We entered the famous cavern which the ancient 
poets have related was inhabited by the Sibyl of Cu- 
mae, the most illustrious prophetess of Paganism, 
who predicted the ruin of Troy and the foundation 



188 

of Rome. It is yet such as Virgil describes it in the 
6th book of the jEneid, 

'' The region destitute of day ;" 

for even with torches it is hardly possible to dissi- 
pate the gloom. 

Indeed this place has all the character given it in 
the eleventh book of the Odyssey, and it requires 
but little exertion of the imagination to picture to 
yourself the visions seen by Ulysses, and to imagine 
^' thin, airy shoals of visionary ghosts floating about." 
It was by this place also that ^neas descended ; and 
the golden bough he carried, alluded, no doubt, to 
the mines of gold which, it is said, were formerly 
found in this country. 

At length we emerged from this gloomy cave, and 
trod the banks of the Lake Avernus ; from whence 
we passed to the river Acheron, where the '^ fell 
boatman'' plied. Here, 



•* The souls crowdedj with horrid yells, 
Close to the cursed shore of bliss devoid. 
Charon the fiend, with eyes like burning coals, 
Bawls to them ; and if any stray, 
He drives them close with his relentless oar. 
Thick as in autumn fall the tumbling leaves^. 
One on each other pressing, till each tree 
Sees all her spoils lie scatter'd on the ground ; 
So Adam's v/icked sons obey his call." 

Daktjs, CBJitollt 



189 

We crossed this stream, but not with that grim 
*' ferryman which poets write of ;" nor was it 
*' the kingdom of eternal night" which we entered. 
Beyond, were the Elysian fields. It is yet a charm- 
ing country, which never feels the rigour of win- 
ter : though all these parts have been desolated l:)y 
earthquakes and partial eruptions. 

Near the Sibyl's Grotto and Lake Avernus, was 
the ancient Cumae, a city of the highest antiquity. 
It was celebrated for its power and riches, also for 
the tyranny of Aristodemns ; and as the place of the 
exile and death of Tarquin the Proud, after he was 
ejected from Rome. Virgil speaks of a temple 
which Daedalus raised to Apollo, where he conse- 
crated the wings which served him to escape frotu 
Minos. This city became deserted when the Rn. 
mans fixed themselves at Baiae. 

The places we have just visited, have now none 
of the terrific imagery with which the poets clothed 
them, with the exception of the Sibyl's Grotto, a fit 
place for the delivery of her wild mysterious oracles. 
Lake Avernus forms the arena of a dehghtful amphi- 
theatre, and is no longer overshadowed by clouds 
and darkness. In returning, we touched at Cape 
Messinus, where Pliny commanded at the time of 
the eruption of Vesuvius. It was so named from 
one of the companions of -^neas, who was buried 
there. 

On this coast we drank of the Falernian wine ; 
and, although I do not suppose it was so good as an^ 
ciently, yet it was very pleasant to the taste. 



190 

We had for our guide a man with one eye, who, 
from that misfortune, was called one of the Cyclops, 
a name perfectly suitable to the places we ex- 
plored. 



191 



CHAPTER XV, 

RETURN TO ROME. 

Oi\cE more do I turn my eyes towards home. 
Once more do I face the north star, and look on 
that constellation which I have so often contempla- 
ted with those I love. Hitherto I have been travel- 
ling southward, far from all I hold most dear ; now, 
my steps, as my thoughts have always been, are di- 
rected towards England. Rome has its wonders, Na- 
ples its delights, and Pompeii its refined pursuits ; 
but the atti'actions of home, how infinitely superior ! 

We set out with the courier, accompanied with 
the usual escort^ on a fine night, the stars shining 
with increased lustre from the clearness of the at- 
mosphere. Not being disposed to sleep, I continued 
on the outside of the carriage the greater part of the 
night. In the silence that prevailed, I enjoyed a luxu- 
rious quiet, to which I had b^en long unaccustomed. 
I arranged my thoughts, recalled what I had seen, and 
dwelt with rapture on those pleasing reminiscences. 
I had now leisure to think ; I had no humours to 
study ; no force put on my complaisance : I was by 
myself, alone, and could exclaim with Scipio Afri- 
canus, that '' I am never less alone than when 
ajone." 

Little occurred until we arrived at Fondi, except 
the ceremony we occasionally went through^ when 



192 

coming to a suspicious place, of hiding our money, 
watches, &c. in a secret drawer in the coach, with 
the consequent sensations, particularly after having 
seen some of the fearful results of the desperate 
hordes which infest the country. 

At Fondi, when the Douaniers recognised us, they 
turned on their heels and walked away. We passed 
through the same ceremonies on the frontiers, and 
arrived at Terracina late in the day, when we again 
entered upon the Pomptine Marshes. 

To sleep in passing them is considered dangerous, 
though the air has a tendency to produce somnolen- 
cy. The evening set in darker than usual, and we 
had twenty-five miles to travel over them, in the 
heat of summer, and subject to all their noxious ex- 
halations. The country presented a dismal appear- 
ance. A gloom spread around, occasioned by a mist 
or fog, caused by the vapours rising from the marshy 
land. Excessive drowsiness, accompanied by profuse 
perspiration, nearly overpowered us. The air was 
disagreeably close, damp, and suffocating, so much 
so as to cause a difficulty of breathing. 

As night advanced, the rapidity of our progress 
was beyond any thing I had ever experienced. Fear 
seemed to animate the postiHions, and to lend wings 
to the horses. The escort of cavalry galloped on 
each side, looking keenly about them with their car- 
bines prepared. The shrieking noise accompanied 
us, whistling in our ears, from all sides, from those 
animals which are always heard in Italy at night, 
and which seemed to increase the faster we whirled 



193 

over the pavement.* Lights occasionally gleamed 
through the fog. Expecting to be attacked every 
moment, each one appeared shrinking his head, as 
if he would hide it between his shoulders, well ex- 
pressing the fear which he felt at the terrors by 
w^hich he was surrounded. Our situation was in- 
deed awful. For my own part I felt that it was 
new, but was perfectly prepared for the event. 

At the next post we were received by a crowd of 
persons with lights, who seemed to welcome our ar- 
rival. Two other carriages overtook us here, and 
were glad to keep in our train, for the benefit of the 
escort. The lamps were lighted, and we again pro- 
ceeded with rapidity. Aftpr passing Torre del Tre 
Ponti I looked for the ravine, the ambush of assas- 
sins. Its double mouth gaped upon me, and possibly 
might be charged with the ministers of my death. I 
shuddered as I passed. 

Sleep had again nearly overpowered me, when 
suddenly I heard violent exclamations from the 
guards, with a confusion of other voices ; firearms 
were discharged, and the carriage stopped. Imme- 
diately looking out, I saw several strange men stand- 
ing about, while the soldiers, who had dismounted, 
with their pistols in their hands, had seized and 
were searching some of them. Suspecting the cause 



^ This noise is really of so terrific a nature, as to incline one 
to think that the poets took their idea from it, of Orestes pur- 
sued by the Furies, 

n 



194 

of this uproar, I took a pistol and instantly leaped 
out, thinking it better to stand there on my defence, 
than to remain and be murdered in the carriage. 
As I approached the scene of contest, I learned that 
these men, with some others, who had escaped into 
the marshes, and on whom the guards had fired, 
were discovered lying in ambush by the side of a 
large stone hovel. A woman, who accompanied 
them, was at this moment dragged from a ditch, 
where it was supposed she had hidden some of their 
weapons. While the guards were thus employed, 
an elderly gentleman called from one of the car- 
riages, begging of me to return, as he apprehended 
danger, these being a part of the brigands. Wishing 
to be doubly armed, I went back for another pistol, 
when I informed my fellow travellers of what was 
going forward. 

By the time I regained the crowd, the guards 
were knocking loudly at the door of the hovel ; no 
one answering, we set our shoulders to it, and burst 
it open. Our surprise may be conceived, when, on 
entering, we found a large fire, and men sleeping 
around it. Those nearest the fire instantly started 
up, making some show of resistance ; but perceiv- 
ing we were well armed, they hesitated, and sulkily 
answered our interrogatories as to the persons found 
on the outside, and of whom they disclaimed all 
knowledge. 

The hovel, into which we had thus forcibly en- 
tered, appeared to be about twenty yards long and 
eight broad. The light emanating from one spot, 



195 

the more distant parts were involved in a deep 
gloom. The scowling features of these men, with 
their style of dress^ gave them a ferocity to which 
their beards and raustachios did not a little contri- 
bute : the light from the blazing hearth striking on 
the lower parts of their countenances, their length- 
ened shadows being lost in the distance, added to 
their demon-like appearance ; while the lumber 
scattered about, and the recesses seen around, com- 
pleted the picture of a den of thieves. 

Leaning against a projection, and ruminating on 
i\m scene, a heavy sigh was breathed into my ear. 
On turning round, I discovered a man close to me, 
apparently asleep. The gentleman who had so 
kind}}' cautioned me before now joined me, and we 
indulged our curiosity in exploring this cavern. In 
going round, we counted nine men lying in different 
par*,s, who could hardly be distinguished in the 
gloom. Notwithstanding all the noise caused by the 
violence of our entrance and loud conversation, and 
although v/e pulled and pressed them to discover 
whether they were really human beings or lumps of 
wood, not one of these stirred, but lay with every 
appearance of a desire for concealment. 

At the door 1 was joined by one of my lively 
companions, who gave me a most laughable descrip- 
tion of the different effects produced by the alarm 
on some of those left in the carriages, and who were 
in the greatest consternation. It seems that the 
moment information was given that the brigands 
>vere near, fear took possession of them and fixed 



196 

them to their seats. One had drawn himself into a 
corner, crossing himself and uttering ejaculations ; 
another was seen to put large bits of bread in his 
mouth to keep the sickness down by whicb he was 
attacked, and to prevent the chattering of his teeth 
being heard ; while a third pretended to sleep 
(though with a suppressed respiration) who had just 
before loudly demanded what was the matter. Such 
were the eifects produced by the magical sentence, 
'-'- The brigands are here." This was the subject of 
a little harmless raillery afterwards. 

Our force was not sufficiently strong to take the 
whole prisoners ; but those found on tlie outside of 
the hovel we drove before u^, proceeding at a slow 
pace, and on arriving at the next guard, delivered 
them up. 

There seems to be no doubt that this was a regu- 
lar band, and that those found inside and outside 
wore connected together. Although there were no 
arms discovered in the hasty search we made, it 
does not follow that they had none. But this is not 
material, as it is by their numbers that they over- 
pov/er. They attack travellers twenty and thirty in 
c\ body, who consequently have no chance in resist- 
ing; for if they kill two or three, they only lay 
themselves more open to the vengeance of the rest, 
it is evident, therefore, that without an escort of 
cavalr}^ it is perfectly useless to offer any resistance 
when attacked. 

We learned, on our arrival at Ptome, that two days 
before an Enghsh gentleman and his servant residing 



197 

in the Piazza d'Espagna, near our residence, had 
been stopped in this same place, that is, between 
Cisterna and Torre del Tre Ponti, robbed and 
stripped, the carriage cut in all parts to discover 
money, and sent into that city with only their shirts 
on ; the several post-houses being obliged to give 
them credit for the horses and postillion. The name 
we understood to be Morrison, 



17^ 



198 
CHAPTER XVL 

ROME : EXCURSION TO TIVOLI. 

On our return to Rome, we were informed by 
our friends, to our great regret, that two days be- 
fore, the Pope, feeling himself better in the morn- 
ing, said, that he should be glad that day to see 
those strangers who had been waiting to be intro- 
duced ; consequently we were deprived of that 
pleasure. 

We made an excursion to Tivoli, formerly called 
Tibur, situated on the borders of ancient Latium. 
in going to it, we saw here and there the remains of 
a Roman pavement ; but, at present, the road is ex- 
tremely bad. Crossing the Anio, which forms the 
grand cascade at Tivoli, we approached the bridge 
of Solfatara. Some time before our arrival at it, the 
smell of sulphur arising from the stream was ex- 
tremely disagreeable, and, in passing over it, suffo- 
cating. The col-our of the water is a hght blue. 
The Lake of Solfatara, from which it flows, is about 
a mile to the left ; and the whole country around 
is infected with the odour. The tomb of the family 
of Plautius stands on one side of the road. It ap- 
pears like a round tower, having been robbed of its 
columns. 

Of the villa of Hadrian, situated about two miles 
\o the right, sufficient remains to give an idea of its 



199 

lormer extent and magnificence. The ruins of thea- 
tres, temples, immense palaces, and baths, are still 
seen ; many parts excellently well preserved, and 
exhibiting a portion of their former splendour. The 
quarters of the Prsstorian guards, divided into a 
number of small chambers, with the adjacent spaces 
for various games, are worth examining. At every 
step we met with some relique of antiquity. Many 
chambers, once the abode of luxury, now subterra- 
nean, are still adorned with painting and sculpture, 
with the most beautiful marbles, verde antique, &c. 
indeed porphyry appeared strewed about like the 
commonest stone. Such, at present, is the villa of 
Hadrian ; and which, but for the destroying hand of 
man, might have been perfect at this time. No 
place that we had seen, gave us such an idea of for- 
mer magnificence of decoration. 

Hadrian, who had visited every part of the Ro- 
man empire, wished in this place of pleasure to have 
resemblances of all that was most beautiful in 
Greece, Asia, and Egypt. Accordingly here were 
theatres after the finest models, with every con- 
venience attached to them ; a copy of the Poecile, 
or celebrated painted portico at Athens ; a hippo- 
drome ; and, amongst an infinite number of temples, 
was an imitation of the celebrated one of Serapis, 
erected in the city of Canopus in Egypt. How fra- 
gile is human greatness ! 

Returning to the road, and continuing our course, 
we entered Tivoli through a thick plantation of 
olive trees, laden with fruit. Our steps were direct- 



200 

ed to the temple of Vesta ; in our approach to which 
we saw, from various elevations, falls beneath us, 
of the ancient Anio, now called Teverone. The 
remains of this temple are very perfect, the pro- 
portions lovely. Near it was the Temple of the 
Sibyls, the ruins of which now form part of a mo- 
dern church. We descended from hence to the 
Grotto of Neptune, by a path cut by the order of 
general Miolis, for the benefit, as is expressed in an 
inscription on the rock, of the lovers of the Fine 
Arts. Many stations are formed as we descend, with 
seats and parapets, to enjoy different points of view. 
In going down, we were shown various apertures, 
through which the Anio formerly flowed. 

A grand and beautiful scene was now before us : 
t)n one side, the water falling from a perpendicular 
height of one hundred feet ; on the other, an im- 
mense body, winding with rushing impetuosity and 
tremendous roar from within the grotto. The spray 
mounted in clouds, the most lovely rainbows were 
seen, and beneath us was a mass of white foam. 
The scenery around being beautifully picturesque, 
added to the magnificence of the sight. Proceeding 
to examine a tree which appeared petrified, we ad- 
vanced upon the slimy rocks. Here there had 
nearly been a fatal catastrophe : one of my compa- 
nions growing giddy, lost his footing, and would have 
been precipitated into the foaming gulf, but that he 
was instantly pulled down upon his back, and thus 
saved. 

Wishing to examine the grotto, I clambered up 



201 

the interior ; and there, on a projecting point, the 
water gushing in two vast bodies from the interior of 
the rock close to me, I stood proudly pre-eminent, 
looking on the gulf below. Our guide, the moment 
he saw where I was, clasped his hands, and stood 
with his mouth open, gazing at me, with terror de- 
picted in his looks. When I descended, I learned 
the cause of his alarm ; two Englishmen having been 
killed by falling from the same spot. He concluded 
by saying that the English were certainly devils, fo» 
they knew no fear. 

Crossing the river, the scene again changed : cas- 
cades, ruins, cavities, rainbows, and the whole 
crowned by the elegantly formed temple of Vesta* 
We visited the grotto of the Sirens. 

In taking the circuit of the valley, the scene w^as 
ever varied. Indeed, no language can adequately 
describe the beauties of this tlelightful retreat. The 
amenity of the air, the loveliness of the scenery^ 
and the beautiful odour of vegetation, produced a 
luxurious repose in the mind, a softness of feeling 
that inclined one to exckiim, ^' Here will I rest, and 
forget the world." — Reclining on a grassy bank, the 
most picturesque and romantic views attracted our 
sight, whichever way we turned. The villas of Ho- 
race, Quintilian, Mascenas, and Munatius Plaucus, 
were pointed out to us, producing the pleasing asso- 
ciations which those names always inspire : these 
spots we passed in succession. From the opposite 
^ide of the valley there is a fine view of Tivoli, with 
a water-fall of two descents^ the Compagna di Roma, 



202 

Rome, and the sea bounding the horizon. On our 
arriving opposite the villa of Maecenas, five cascades 
appeared within the compass of the eye, broken in 
their fall into three, four, and five descents each. 
Lucien Buonaparte's situation, who now possesses 
this villa, is truly enviable. The subterranean sa- 
loon under the porticoes and chambers, seen in this 
villa, is commonly called the Stables of Maecenas. 
Others believe it to have been a grand reservoir 
of water. The substructions of the house of Ca- 
tullus are still seen. Ancient Latium was on this 
side Tivoli, the country of the Sabines on the 
other. 

Our intention was to have proceeded from hence 
to Frascati, the ancient Tusculum ; but intelligence 
had just arrived that the brigands had made an at- 
tack on the Pope's guards, situated there, and car- 
ried seven of them prisoners into the mountains of 
Albano. The alarm was so great, that we had much 
difficulty in persuading our coachman to drive us 
back to Rome, as he was fearful of oux path being 
beset. Indeed the road is so bad, and the country 
around such a wilderness, that it seems well calcu- 
lated for predatory exploits. We returned to Rome 
with the most lively impressions of the delights of 
Tivoh. 

As souls after their departure from bodies are 
said to hover over the places which formerly gave 
them pleasure, so did we visit again and again the 
ruins of this once magnificent metropolis of the 
worlds 



203 

We now compared the temple of Vesta with that 
we had just seen. It is of the Ionic order, is in 
tolerable preservation, but yields in beauty to that 
of Tivoli. Of the theatre of Marcellus little is 
seen. It was built by Augustus, and dedicated to 
Marcellus his nephew. The construction was so 
perfect, that it served as a model for modern archi- 
tects. The exterior was decorated with four orders 
of architecture ; but only a part of the first two 
ranges of arcades remains. The day on which it 
was dedicated, there were killed in it six hundred 
wild beasts. This beautiful building was converted 
into a fortress by one of the families who were con- 
tending for superiority in Rome ; and, after it' 
was ruined, the Orsini palace, as it now stands, was 
raised on its foundation, and within a part of its 
walls. 

Near here Octavius also built the portico of Octa- 
via, named from his sister, the mother of Marcellus, 
for the purpose of sheltering the people who visited 
the theatre from rain. It formed long galleries, 
supported by two hundred and seventy columns, and 
was ornamented with statues by the most eminent 
artists. It was particularly celebrated, as the place 
where the painters, on certain days in the year, ex- 
hibited their pictures : a part of this portico now 
forms the approach to a church. 

From Mount Janiculum we took our last view of 
Rome, and afterwards visited the study of Signor 
Camucini, considered the first painter in Rome of 
the present day. 



204 

Begging friars are seen every where, and theii' 
impudence is far beyond what we could possibly 
imagine. They enter into the houses, and hardly 
any apartment is sacred from their intrusion. They 
carry on their mendicant system with an air of autho- 
rity perfectly new to a Transalpine eye. Contests 
are often seen in the streets between these friars 
and the poor people who sell water melons, &c. as 
the former insist upon carrying off much more than 
the charity of the others can afford. 

Rome was now so beset with robbers, that it was 
hardly possible to know which way to proceed with 
safety. Intelligence had just arrived, that thirteen 
of the Pope's guards had taken their horses and ac- 
coutrements, and joined Barbone of Vellitri, the 
chief of the banditti in that quarter. The country 
between Rome and Florence was in the same fearful 
state ; therefore, by the advice of our friends, we 
determined on taking the road to the Adriatic. 

Our last visit was to the remains of ancient mag- 
niiicence ; and we finished, as we began, in the 
contemplation of Rome's greatest attractions. The 
sun was setting in splendour, the heavens appeared 
on fire, reflecting radiance on the surrounding ob- 
jects ; and we remained in the Colloseum till dark- 
ness veiled in one common obscurity all around us. 
As with slow steps we proceeded towards home, 
black clouds arose, portending an approaching 
storm. 



205 



CHAPTER XVIL 

DEPARTURE FROM ROME. 

Several carriages were waiting for us at the 
Porto del Populo, to have the benefit of our escort. 
In picturing to ourselves the advantages of civiliza- 
tion, and the comforts of our own country, we en- 
deavoured to forget we were leaving Rome. Still, 
its history, its ancient magnificence, and its present 
state, dwelt on the mind. Although we were rapid- 
ly departing from its interesting scenes, our imagina- 
tions lingered round those spots we perhaps might 
never revisit. 

Little occurred until our arrival at Civita Castel- 
lana, if we except an uproar at a village occasioned 
by the escape of some robbers who had been taken 
prisoners^ and'were being conveyed under guard to 
a place of safety. 

The ancient city of Veii was situated on this side 
Rome ; but the exact spot is a subject of dispute. 
Some place it on the road to Boccano ; others be- 
tween Boccano, Nepete, and Capena ; and again^ 
Civita Castellana is supposed by many to occupy its 
former site. If 1 might venture an opinion, it would 
be, that the latter appears too far from Rome, ac- 
cording to the generally received accounts of the 
distance of Veii. Every one will recollect its ten 
years' siege, whence it was compared to that of 
18 



206 

Troy. According to history, it was a larger city 
than Rome, at least at one period of its existence ; 
and maintained fifty thousand soldiers. It was taken 
by Camillus by sapping ; and from the time of its 
siege, was dated the memorable circumstance of the 
Roman s.oldiers receiving pay. Before that period, 
they always served the state gratuitously, and were 
used to return home during the winter. But the 
senate, finding that they could not take the city in 
one campaign, to induce them to remain out and 
prosecute the siege in that season, gave them pay. 

From Otricoli, there is a beautiful view of the 
Tiber, winding in the vale. Anciently the road 
from Otricoli to Rome was adorned with fine monu- 
ments, splendid temples, and triumphal arches. As 
we advanced, the country appeared better cultivat- 
ed. On entering the Appenines the scenery was 
beautifully picturesque. Narni is most romantically 
situated, and all around is lovely. There is an 
aqueduct seen, which is fifteen miles long ; it fur- 
nishes the fountains of this city : also the remains 
of a magnificent bridge, built in the time of Au- 
gustus. 

After passing Terni, the birth place of Tacitus 
the historian, and of the emperors Tacitus and Flo- 
rian, we ascended Monte Somma,* covered with 
vegetation. The air was fresh, and the scenery 
beautiful ; indeed it was quite a luxury to see green 



This is the highest mountain in this part of the Appenines. 



207 

fields, after remaining so long in deserts. It has 
often occurred to me, that the state of the plains of 
Italy in summer, south of the Po, gave rise to the 
story of Phaeton ; by which Ovid poetically describ- 
ed the heat of the sun, during that season, drying 
up rivers ; and the largest of them becoming petty 
streams. 

— —<' Their currents are all dry, 

And where they rolled gaping trenches lie." 

Addison's Translation. 

Spoleto, the ancient Spoletium, is supposed to 
have been built on the crater of a volcano. There 
are many ruins seen ; but its principal celebrity 
arises from its successful resistance of Hannibal, 
after he had defeated the Romans at Thrasy- 
menus. 

Between Spoleto and Foligno is the source of the 
Clitumnus ; near which is an ancient temple, that 
has been preserved by being converted into a Chris- 
tian church. The waters of the Clitumnus, ac- 
cording to the poetic fiction, possessed the power 
of making the cattle that drank of them white. 
Throughout Italy we observed, that almost all the 
oxen used in agriculture and in teams were so. 
The ancients encouraged the white breed for the 
purpose of sacrifice ; and hence probably is the 
cause of its being now so general. Herds of these 
choice victims, " MagncB victimce,^^ of a snowy 
whiteness, were pastured in the valley of Foligno, 
which is distinguished for its fertility, and through 



208 

which the Ciitumnus flows. The story of itis 
qualities, no doubt, has taken its rise from this cir- 
cumstance. 

'' There flows Ciitumnus through the flower}^ plains, 
Whose waves, for triumphs after prosperous w^ar, 
The victim ox and snowy sheep prepare. 

Dryden's Trans. Virg. Geo. Book II. 1. 221. 

After passing Le Vene, the village of Trevi is 
seen, romantically situated on the declivity of a 
mountain, and built in the form of an amphitheatre, 
presenting a pleasing sight. 

From Foligno we arrived at the highest part of 
the road, still surrounded by verdure, though the 
air was bleak ; and, afterwards descending, we tra- 
versed a plain with a beautiful range of hills on 
each side. Near Skeggia is a mountain rent asun- 
der ; and over the chasm is built a prodigious bridge 
of one arch, which is in the form of a circle. This 
is one of the noblest works of the Romans, remain- 
ing on the Flaminian way. Approaching the Me- 
taurus, the scene of the defeat of Asdrubal, we 
found the Flaminian way cut through a mountain of 
considerable height. Leaving Urbino, the birth 
place of Raffiielle, on our left, and Advancing to 
Fano, we heard the roaring of the Adriatic. It was 
late when we arrived ;' and, after knocking some 
time, the drawbridge was slowly let down, and the 
gates opened to receive us. 

In the course of our journeys, we had various 
opportunities of seeing the irritability of the Itaban 



209 

disposition, and the fearful extremes to which it is 
sometimes carried, A quarrel took place between 
the courier and one of the postilHons, about some 
demand which the latter insisted on ; the courier 
became so exasperated, that, before any person could 
be aware of what he intended, he drew the sword of 
a soldier standing by, from its sheath ; and, but for 
our immediately throwing ourselves upon him, the 
result would have been melancholy^ Twice did he, 
in this manner, essay to cut the other down, and 
twice did we wrest the sword from his hand. How- 
ever, before they parted, they shook hands and 
kissed each other. Another time, a dispute arose 
between the conductor and a postillion, when they 
abused each other with the greatest virulency ; at 
last, theic passion arrived at such a height, that 
they both descended, and, with Ihe utmost violence 
of countenance and gesture, stood with their faces 
opposed to each other, their hands and fingers ex- 
tended and held up, and shrieking out their words 
in the highest key of the human voice. As the other 
was most fearful, this quarrel was most laughable. 
Gradually their animosity subsiding, one took the 
other round the waist, and afterwards round the 
neck, soothing him by words and looks, until they 
were both good friends again. But a quarrel that 
we saw between two boys, having all the character 
of the last, was still more ludicrous, from the im- 
becile rage of the youthful opponents, 

Fano is situated on the sea, and here was our first 
sight of the Adriatic, From its shores we looke* 

18* 



210 

towards Athens, and looked and longed, but longed 
and looked in vain. It was our intention to have 
crossed to Athens ; but, understanding that we 
should have to perform forty days' quarantine, we 
were compelled to give up the idea. 

Fevers, at this time, were flying about in all parts. 
There was hardly a city in Italy free from conta- 
gion. A most respected member of the Royal Aca- 
demy of London, and a most worthy man, Mr. Wood- 
forde, fell a victim about this time in Bologna His 
good character makes him still more regretted ; for 
however towering genius may be, it will sink to the 
earth, unless supported by high principles. 

At Fano is a triumphal arch, which was raised in 
honour of Augustus ; or, according to others, of 
Constantine ; it is very much dilapidated, and has 
served as a fortress. 

We coasted the sea to Pessaro, which is a hand- 
some town, and we were gratified with its general 
appearance of neatness and cleanliness, being the 
more struck with these qualities, as we had been so 
long accustomed to their absence. There are the 
remains of a bridge built under Augustus or Trajan, 
and many of the churches have good paintings. At 
Pessaro we bathed in the Adriatic. The sand is as 
soft as that of the bay of Naples. Oa the shore are 
to be found quantities of a substance sold in the chy- 
mists' shops, called Cuttle fish, being part of a fish 
bearing that name. The markets are well supplied, 
and the fruit of a large size, and delicious flavour ; 
the pears were the finest we had tasted in Italy, 



211 

Frorw Pessaro to Rimini we continued along the 
shore. Near Pessaro, we stopped at the house of 
the Princess of Wales, who shows much judgment 
in her choice of situation in this, as well as other 
mansions of hers which we had seen in Italy. The 
road is excellent, and we had many delightful pros- 
pects. 

San Marino was seen on our left, among the hills. 
This republic has existed near 1400 years, for 
which existence it is indebted to its poverty. It has 
had no extensive territory, beiiig confined to a moun- 
tain and a few surrounding hillocks ; it has had no 
splendid possessions of which it could be robbed, 
and therefore has not excited the envy of greater 
states. Buonaparte offered to give it the command 
of the surrounding space ; but its senate had the 
wisdom to refuse the dangerous gift. 

We entered Rimini by a triumphal arch erected 
to Augustus. It is of fine proportions, but disfigured 
by a Gothic battlement. This being suffered to re- 
main, was one of the many specimens that we wit- 
nessed of Italian taste in the present day. This city 
is famous, as being the first which Julius Cassar en-^ 
tered after passing the Rubicon. They show a pe- 
destal, said to be the tribune from whence he ha- 
rangued his army on that occasion. In going out, 
we passed over a fine bridge of marble, constructed 
in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius. Its cha- 
racter is boldness and solidity : it is supposed to be 
the work of Vitruvius. Here the consular, the, 
Flaminian, and the Emilian ways join. From Rimi- 



212 

ni, the traveller may proceed to Ravenna, the hid- 
ing-place of the imbecile tyrants of Rome in the 
decHne of the empire. Proceeding towards Bo- 
logna, at Scavigliano, we crossed a branch of what 
is said to be the Rubicon. But soon afterwards, we 
passed that river at the place, according to the in- 
scription on the bridge, where Ciesar crossed from 
Gaul, and by which Rome became enslaved. If we 
examine the history of the most celebrated nations 
and states, we shall uniformly find, that, from the 
moment they have become subject to any particular 
family, their decline has commenced. I suppose it 
is because they have then an unnatural existence. 

ForU, anciently Forum Livii, was built after the 
defeat of Asdrubal. Faenza is a large and well con- 
structed city. The country is highl}^ cultivated all 
the way to Imola, and the scenery picturesque. 
Passing through that city, we entered on the plains 
•f Lombardv. and arrived at Bologna. 



513 



CHAPTER XVIiL 

BOLOGNA AND PADUA. 

Bologna is distinguished as one of the great 
schools of painting, taking its rank next to the Ro- 
man and Florentine. The principal places worthy 
of notice, are the university, the palaces Maras- 
chatti, Zambaccari, and Androvandi ; the Academie 
delle belle Arte ; the churches of St. Agatha, and 
San Michelo in Bocco. In the Palazzo Marachatti, 
among many other pictures, are some by Titian, 
Rembrandt, and a Christ of Correggio, which is 
light itself. The sketch of Titian, for the Abraham 
which adorns the roof of the sacristy of Santa Marie 
delle Salute at Venice, one of the chef d'ceuvres of 
the world, ia in this palace, and raised expectations 
which were afterwards much more than gratified. 
At the Academie delle belle Arte, was a most magni- 
ficent assemblage of twelve pictures, which had just 
been brought back from Paris. Not having been dis- 
tributed to their several places of destination, we 
found them standing side by side in one room ; and 
the radiance of so many beauties seemed to absorb 
the senses. Domenichino, Ludivico, and Augustino 
Carracci, Guercino, Guido, and Raffaelle, stood 
before us in their subliTnest efforts. Those who 
visited Paris in 1814, will recollect the St. Agnes of 
Domenichino : St. AmbrosCj by Guercino : the As- 



214 

sumption of the Virgin and the St. Jero<ne,,by Au- 
gustino Carracci ; the Dead Christ in two depart- 
ments, and the Murder of the Innocents, by Gaido; 
and the St. Cecilia, by Raifaelle. These fornied a 
constellation aunost too brilliant to behold. 

In the university ar^ many chambers, in which 
are arranged philosophical instruments, antiquities, 
medals, curiosities of various kinds, injections, mo- 
dels in wax, &c. 

Rome is not the only place that makes a trade of 
the arts. Bologna, as well as other cities in Italy, 
formerly famous for their high perfection in the 
Fine Arts, are now distinguished by their copies, 
which they eadeavour to pass off for originals to ig- 
norant collectors. It is really absurd to see some of 
their attempts at imposition. That good sense which 
prevails in England, and which will overcome every 
error in time, has already, in a great measure, 
broken the trammels of picture dealers^ whose so- 
vereign sway has been so prejudicial to Art. Men 
of science, whose judgment can be relied on, are 
now consulted when a purchase is to be made ; and 
the House of Commons has given a final blow to 
this system, in the preference it has lately shovj^n to 
the opinion of Artists, in opposition to the ignorance 
and pretension of connoisseur*. What a folly for 
such men as the latter, in the present day of intel- 
lectual improvement, to set themselves up as the 
directors of public taste I 

The streets of Bologna are narrow, and almost all 
of them have colonadee on each side. The foot 



215 

paths are neatly paved, with very small stones, like 
mosaic, only the materials are of one colour. Some 
of the towers appear out of the perpendicular, from 
the tops of which there are extensive views. The 
portico, which leads to the shrine of the Virgin, 
near three miles in length, is worthy of remark. 

In proceeding to Ferrara, we leave Cento on our 
left, distinguished as the birth place of Guercino. 
Ferrara is situated on a branch of the Fo, and was 
formerly very celebrated ; but, according to the 
information we received, it declined rapidly, after 
having been annexed to the Fope's dominions. We 
there saw the tomb of Ariosto. Soon after passing 
this city, we crossed the Fo, by what is called a 
flying bridge. A post is fixed higher up, in the 
centre of the river, from which a rope is conveyed 
to the passage-raft, by means of a number of small 
boats, which form the connecting links. These be 
ing pressed upon by the currents, guide the raft, 
when loosened from the bank, with the slight as- 
sistance of an oar, to the opposite side. The raft is 
formed of two barges, boarded over and railed round. 

The road was tolerable ; the hedges were com- 
posed entirely of vines spreading in festoons, from 
which the grapes, deliciously ripe, were luxuriantly 
suspended. 

Rovigo is built on the ruins of the ancient city of 
Adria, from which the Adriatic sea took its name. 
It was renowned, in the time of Fliny, for^the good- 
ness of its wines ; but Italy has degenerated in that 
particular, as well as many others ; and we often 



216 

had to regret the good hermit's fere on Mount Ve- 
suvius. The country around is celebrated for its 
astonishing fertihty. A few miles from Rovigo we 
crossed the Adige. 

By way of compensation for the badness of the 
road, the postillion indulged us with — not an air or 
singing of any kind, for such it could not be 
called, but a dreadful noise. I have before re- 
marked upon the character of the singing in pri- 
vate parties of Italy ; and after what we heard 
at Sienna, it had several times excited our surprise, 
in this land so famed for musical talent, to hear some 
of the common people attempt to sing ; making so 
horrid a noise, as to incline us to believe that the 
fault lay in ourselves, and that '' discord was but 
harmony not understood." It struck us the more 
forcibly in contrast with the lower orders of the 
French, who never speak even but music salutes 
the ear. But the Italians, in general, speak in a 
very high key, and many rather screech out their 
words, observing no modulation whatever. I should 
think that nothing would strike a stranger more 
forcibly than this, on his first entrance into Italy. 
For my own part, I often fancied that two persons 
were quarrelling with each other, when I afterwards 
found that they were only conversing on some fa* 
miliar topic. A want of modulation is sometimes 
observable in their chanting at the shrine of the Vir- 
gin, which is usually done by one or two men and 
a number of children. They have a twang in their 
fiotes^ with an abruptness of termination, which are 



217 

often very disagreeable to the ear. All this was the 
more remarkable to us, v/ho had been taught to look 
upon Italy as the school for harmony. But I am in- 
clined to believe, that Italian singing is often the most 
unnatural when it said to be the finest ; that the 
French singing is less removed from nature ; but 
that our own native melodists, such as Miss Stephens, 
are the most natural ; for, while the others only 
astonish, her notes touch the heart. 

Mon Selice is a rock in the midst of a vast plain. 
On the summit is an old castle. We ascended by 
various terraces, adorned by statues and chapels, 
having paintings in fresco. From the top we had a 
vast and extended view all around for thirty miles, 
with almost an uninterrupted horizon. This castle 
must have been a place of considerable strength 
formerly. The country here is flat, with the ex- 
ception of a few volcanic hills in one spot ; but it is 
richly cultivated and delightfully intersected with 
numerous canals,, having walks beside them. The 
towns and villages are populous ; a degree of bustle 
prevails ; the inhabitants are lively and good look- 
ing ; and we appeared, as we approached Padua, to 
be going into a new region. Indeed, wherever we 
observed that the cultivation of the land was attend- 
ed to, there was a visible improvement in the ap- 
pearance of the people. 

From Mon Selice to Padua the road is good, and 
runs by the side of a navigable canal. It is adorned 
with many magnificent country-housesj belonging to 
rich Venetian families. 

19 



218 

Padua is one of the most ancient cities of Italy 
It was founded by Antenor, a Trojan prince, who 
advised the restoration of Helen.* After the de- 
struction of Troy, he migrated to this part of Italy, 
and built this city. Padua has been celebrated in 
modern times for its University. Shakspeare 
speaks of Bellario, a celebrated doctor of Padua.j 
It was so famed, that Arabians, as well as Greeks 
and individuals of other nations, went there to study. 
Galileo was one of its professors, Petrarch was a 
canon of the cathedral, and Columbus studied 
within its walls. This city has also the honour of 
claiming, as a native, Titus Livius the historian* 
There are many buildings by Palladio, of whom I 
shall speak hereafter, contenting myself, at present, 
with an observation, that I was not pleased with 
them. The Pantheon and other ancient beauties 
dwelt in my recollection, and St. Giustino and the 
University appeared trifling in the comparison. In 
this we had the same feeling as at Rome, when look- 
ing at the Farnese and other palaces, though unac- 
companied by that indignation at seeing the in- 
famous spoliation which those families had been 
guilty of in their erection. 

A late learned traveller in Italy, when speaking 
of St. Paul's of London, says, *' not only is it infe- 
rior to St. Peter's, but to numberless other churches 



* Pope's Homer, B. VII. l.4]a 

f Merchant of Venice. 



219 

in Italy ; particularly in Rome, Venice, and Padua/' 
I hope he did not mean St. Antonio, the cathedral 
at Padua, which is a clumsy ill-looking building, 
with all its domes ; or that of St. Mark's at Venice, 
which, although Santa Sophia at Constantinople was 
its model, is to be regarded more as a curiosity in 
architecture than as any thing fine. The first Santa 
Sophia was built by Constantine ; but although that 
emperor could command marbles and sculpture of 
the most exquisite beauty, which he tore without 
remorse from their original stations, yet he could 
not create artists. 

The interior of St. Antonio is decorated with 
paintings by Giotto, and a series of bronze basso 
relievoes beautifully executed, the subjects of which 
are taken from the Scriptures. The candelabres 
are likewise of bronze, richly sculptured. Lascuo- 
la is ornamented with paintings in fresco, by differ- 
ent artists ; some of them are said to be by Titian. 
St. Giustino has a fine picture over the altar by Paul 
Veronese, and a good one by Sebastian Ricci. 

// Salone^ which is the town-hall, has been compared 
with that of Westminster ; but, in my opinion, the 
simile '' was most unlike." li is singular that its 
corners are not right angles, consequently its diago- 
nal lines are not equal. There is a small hole on 
one side of the roof, dividing its length into two 
equal parts, through which the sun shines, and the 
line of the rays at noon is marked on the floor to the 
opposite side, indicating midday. A conjecture 
was started that, for this trifling object, the building 



was made to take the zigzag diFectiou beiure meli- 
tioned. In this hall is a monument and a bust of 
Titus Livius. 

This city is handsome in many parts ; but some 
ef the streets are very narrow and badly paved. A 
part within its ancient walls is waste. The inns and 
coffee-houses tire good. In the latter, as well as 
those of other cities in this part of Italy, the cushions 
on which you sit, are luxuriously soft ; and at the 
same time cool, being covered with leather. The 
flies are often so troublesome, that those persons 
who enter for refreshment are supplied with bunches 
of strips of paper, with a handle attached to them, 
by which they are enal>led to drive away those an- 
noying insects. 

In going by land to Fusina, we drove by the 
side of the Brenta. A fertile country, populous 
villages, splendid palaces, and the anticipation of 
soon enjoying the sight of Venice, rendered this 
short journey very pleasing. In Italy every house 
is a palace, while in England, such is our modesty, 
that we call almost every mansion a cottage. Will 
not posterity say, what a learned, polite, yet humble 
race the English were in the beginning of the nine- 
teenth century ? — so learned, that even their shops, 
where the commonest articles were sold, had names 
of Greek and Latin derivation ; so polite, that the 
beggars thanked you all the same, although you 
gave them nothing ; and yet so humble, that their 
greatest men were content to live in cottages. 



221 

We again saw the snow-capt Alps as we approach- 
ed Fusina, where we shortly after arrived. 

It is customary in Italy, when you enter into an 
engagement with any person, for him to give you a 
piece of money, which is considered as binding the 
agreement. A man whom we had engaged to carry 
us to Vicenza, when we should return from Venice, 
made this offering ; but, on telling him it was not 
necessary, he immediately tendered his hand, re- 
peating, at the same time, that honour was more 
binding in an agreement than money. It was ex- 
tremely pleasing to hear such a sentiment expressed 
— and the proffered bond was willingly accepted. 



m- 



2-22 



CHAPTER XIX, 



VENICE. 



On our arrival at Fusina, a phenomenon struck 
our sight in the appearance of a city, with all its 
domes and spires, rising from the sea. The chief 
celebrity of this city consists in its situation, which 
is unique ; in its former power and opulence ; in 
the noble spirit of independence which once ani- 
mated its people, and from which it derived its 
origin ; and in its being the seat of that school of 
art, known under the name of Venetian, distinguish- 
ed for all its alluring blandishments, decorations, 
and colouring. At the head of this school are the 
celebrated names of Titian, Paul Veronese, and 
Tintoret. 

We passed the Lagunes in a gondola, and arrived 
opposite St. Mark's, where we rested some time, to 
enjoy the delightful scene by which we were sur- 
rounded. Magnificent edifices appeared on all sides 
emerging from the ocean ; St. Mark's in front ; 
the Arsenal and St. Georgio Maggiore on the 
right ; the Grand Canal, with its superb range of 
buildings, on the left ; and the Custom-Jiouse be- 
hind. 

Boats piled up with delicious fruits, displaying an 
assemblage gf the most lovely colours in all their 



22S 

beautiful varieties ; others loaded with vegetables^ 
or with casks filled with fresh water brought from 
the neighbouring shores, were slowly moving to 
their several points of debarkation. Innumerable 
gondolas were passing in every direction, with va- 
rious degrees of velocity, as business or pleasure 
might sway their inmates, and steering amid each 
other with the greatest nicety. The landing places 
were as crowded with people as the water was with 
boats, and all was bustle and activity. We then 
passed up the grand canal, which winds through the 
centre of the city, and came in sight of the far 
famed but insignificant Rialto. Stretched on the 
downy pillows of a gondola, enjoying the most luxu- 
rious ease, and gliding along the canals which in- 
tersect the city in every part, was delightful. The 
richly decorated houses and splendid palaces which 
adorn their sides, presenting themselves in con- 
stant succession, and in a capricious and almost end- 
less variety, formed a new and pleasing sight. 

The windows of my chamber faced the north ; 
the grand canal ran beneath, on which was a con- 
stantly moving scene ; the Rialto on the right, and 
in front at a distance appeared the snow-capt Alps* 
At night, the deep gloom in which every thing was 
immersed, was occasionally relieved by the passing, 
crossing, and intermixture of the lights from the 
gondolas, conveying their owners from the public 
amusements to their homes. The gondolas, which 
are black, not being seen, it had the appearance of 
magic ; and it was not difficult to imagine there were 



224 

airy sprites in the height of revelry, performing 
their evolutions. 

Venice is well worthy the observation of every 
traveller ; and, when seen, mast excite admiration. 
But, with respect to its architecture, it is like St. 
Peter's ; that is, to be really enjoyed, it should be 
seen before you have viewed the fine remains of an- 
tiquity at Rome. Here are said to be some of the 
finest specimens of Palladio ; but I must confess my 
want of taste in not being able to admire them. 
They appear pretty, but are encumbered with a 
redundancy of ornament. Architects may admire 
the turn of the arches, proportions, &c. ; but after 
what I had seen, these buildings appeared trifling 
and insignificant. Palladio was, perhaps, a better 
builder of private houses than we have at present, 
and therefore is exalted by the existing race of spe- 
culators and contractors for building, who have not 
talent sufficient to select, adopt, and reject from the 
immortal archetypes of art, and form a purer style 
than he did. 

Unfortunately for England, the architects — or 
rather, I should say the builders^ of the present 
day, who assume the name and usurp the place of 
talent, are a class of men, possessing little taste, no 
discrimination, and without a portion of feeling for 
the sister arts, particularly painting. They are 
too well bred to be independent, or to have a mind 
of their own ; and too Httle learned to be capable 
of executing works with judgment. Time-servingr 
Bess is their characteristic; and they. readily give 



225 

into the vague ideas of their employers, interest h^- 
ing their sole guide. The question may be asked, 
bow do these men get employed, in preference to 
the talent with which our country abounds ? The 
answer is obvious; interest. If the government, a 
corporation, or any other body of men, project the 
execution of some great work, there are so many 
tricks played off by these people, and such scram- 
bling to get the commission, evincing no small por- 
tion of meanness and cunning, that a man of real 
elevation of soul cannot submit to ; consequently, 
Bine out of ten of the great opportunities for exer- 
tion in art, are little better than thrown away. 
Where there i» no great judgment, people allow 
themselves to be swayed by their feelings ; and he 
who will descend to solicit, and who acquires the 
greatest interest, is sure to gain the point. 

Many have been led astray by a too close imita- 
tion of Italian architecture. But, instead of refer- 
ring to Palladio, and others of that school, let us go 
to the sources from whence they drew their know- 
ledge, and study, while they remain to us, the fine 
remnants of Grecian and Roman architecture : from 
them let us form our taste and exercise our judgment, 
in the adaptation of their exquisite symmetry, beau- 
tiful proportions, and elegant simplicity in form and 
decoration, to our own buildings. It is this which 
Burlington has done, which Wren has done ; and it 
is this feeling which animates a Soane, a Bond, and 
a Savage, architects of the present day. I maybe 
condemned for speaking thus of Palladio, and of 



226 

Italian architecture generally ; but it is only on this 
ground, that, considering the most perfect exam- 
ples ought to be held forward in every branch 
of the education of youth, there is an objection 
to the Italians being so constantly presented for 
our study. As I have instanced Palladio as an im- 
perfect guide for young architects, so 1 should say, 
that the students in painting are often led astra}^ by 
the worst parts of Reynolds, Rubens, and the Vene- 
tian school, instead of forming .their style from the 
Roman and Florentine, and the grace and beautiful 
simplicity of the antique. On this subject, a cele- 
brated professor and critic thus expressed himself, 
on being applied to by some young men for recom- 
mendations to the school for painting : *' One tells 
me he paints like Titian, another like Vandyke, and 
they all draw like the devil knows who." 

The Romans,* in their buildings, deviated from 
the severe and majestic simplicity of the Greeks ; 
consequently their architecture is more ornamented, 
and somewhat less chaste. But the grandeur of 
those glorious monuments of ancient taste, Grecian 
or Roman, arises from their simplicity. Indeed, 
simplicity and grandeur are inseparable ; one must 



■^ When I speak of the Romans, I mean the ancients. It ap- 
pears ridiculous to apply that name to the modern inhabitants 
of Italy; or, if we do, we must give up that splendid, though 
perhaps illusive character, which we so often dwell on with 
delight. It is like a travestie on Homer; and robs our transi- 
tory existence of a portion of its comforts. 



227 

produce the other. Hence the reason why the an- 
cients have never yet been equalled, because we 
have always deviated from that simplicity which na- 
ture points out, and which was their guide, with a 
view to add something to our own. Thus architec- 
ture became dressed in a meretricious garb ; paint- 
ing, a splendid ornament ; sculpture ran into affec- 
tation, and poetry into bombast. The object of the 
present age, then, is to endeavour to get back to 
original simplicity, and consequently to a correct 
taste, by devesting science of the many cloaks and 
coverings under which she has been so often hid, 
and which ignorance is cc^itinually throwing upon 
her. 

One thing I must observe; that as long as the 
form of a cross is adhered to in the building of 
churches, we shall never have one erected which 
will be truly beautiful. Whether it is what is called 
the Roman cross or the Grecian cross, it is a figure 
that will mpar the efforts of the greatest genius. It is 
never seen in ancient buildings, being contrary to 
all the principles of composition ; and, as the latter 
are derived from a strict observation of the forms 
most natural, it is contrary to nature. It is a form 
rejected by painters and sculptors, and ought to be 
equally so by architects. Artists are the men who 
should guide the public taste ; and, as the painters 
and sculptors have done much in reforming it, as far 
as they are concerned, architects should follow their 
example in this respect, and refuse to be confined in 
the building of a church to any such figure. 



228 

St. Mark's is the most singular and curious build- 
ing in every respect which I ever beheld, whether 
with regard to its form, decorations, interior gloom, 
mosaics, or variegated marhle floor. The latter, 
which is uneven, and rises and falls as if the sand 
on which it is built had been disturbed, is not the 
least of its curiosities. The bronze horses* in 
front are not near so well seen as they w^ere 
at Paris, where they had a situation worthy of 
them. 

I hare before observed, that it is not my inten- 
tion to enter into lengthened details of every city, 
but merely to give a general description, and to 
point out what is most remarkable. In every place 
we have to wade through a great deal of that which 
is trifling, to get to what may be most worthy of be- 
ing seen. As far as regards the works of art, to the 
general traveller this is the more necessary, as the 
guides will persist in leading them in regular rotation 
to all the showsy and weary them with a succession 
of trifles. 

On the roof of the sacristy of the church of Santa 
Marie del Salute, are three fine paintings by Titian; 



^ These horses were torn from their original situation at 
Corinth, by that prince of all plunderers, Constantine, to 
adorn Constantinople. When the French and Venetians took 
that city, they fell to the lot of the latter, and were placed on 
the facade of St. Mark's. They are supposed to be the works 
of Lysippus, 



229 

David and Goliath, the Sacrifice of Abraham, and 
Cain killing Abel. It has been observed by a cele- 
brated critic, that Titian combiBed the sublimity of 
Michael iVngelo with the most exquisite colouring ; 
and never was an observation more fully illustrated 
than in these pictures. Here you see grandeur of 
form personified, fine composition, united to the ut- 
most beauty and harmony of colour. Here is a 
treat that can be enjoyed at no other place but 
Venice. From what we see of Titian's pictures in 
England, we cannot have a just idea of his powers : 
these alone will give us that idea. Although I should 
be sorry to oppose my humble opinion to that of 
more experienced judges, yet I should be inclined 
to say that the fine picture of St. Peter Martyr is 
not to be compared with either of these. Perhaps 
its having been seen more, is the cause of its being 
more celebrated. With extreme regret, we took 
our leave of these master-pieces of art. In the 
church, are two pictures, by Luca Giordano ; the 
Presentation of Christ, and the Nativity. 

In the Academia delle Belle Arte, is the Miracle 
by Tintoret : certainly it could not have a more ap- 
propriate title, for it is a most miraculous and ex- 
traordinary production. The Marriage of Cana, by 
Paul Veronese, 1 looked for ; but was shown a 
picture rolled up, which had been sent from Paris 
in its stead. 

Santa Rocca has some pictures by Sebastian Ricci. 
The Pallazzio Ducale presents a most extraordinary 
assemblage. The council*chamber is grand and mag- 

20 



230 

nificent of itself ; but, with the paintings with which 
it is adorned, still more so. The Paradise, by Tin- 
toretto, is a wonderful picture ; and the crowning 
of Venice, of Paul Veronese, a fine and beautiful 
composition. 

It is worth remarking, that this room is ornament- 
ed in the frieze by the portraits of the doges, two in 
each compartment. The place of one doge, whom 
they hung for mal-practices, is vacant ; having only 
a black curtain painted, which they considered an 
excellent "• Memento morV for their future chief 
magistrates. On the outside, they exultingly show- 
ed us the place where the doge was hung ; but, like 
many other cities, they only boast of the pubhc spirit 
of their ancestors, without the merit of imitation. 
In the Anti Collegio are Mercury and three Graces, 
Bacchus and Ariadne, and the Cyclops, by Tinto- 
retto ; Europa, by Paul Veronese ; and some by 
Bassano. In the college is a line painting, by Paul 
Veronese, of Venice sitting enthroned on the globe, 
with Justice and Peace at her feet ; also a Marriage 
of St. Catharine, by Tintoret. 

In the church of St. John and St. Luke, is the 
celebrated St. Peter Martyr, by Titian. It is cer- 
tainly seen here to much greater advantage than in 
the Louvre. So great was the difference to me, that 
I doubted whether I had not seen at Paris a dark 
copy of this original. There is a Mount Calvary, 
by Tintoret. In the Gallerie Manfreni are two 
paintings, Lucretia and Europa, by Luca Giordano. 
On the roof of the second chamber is one by Paul 



231 

Veronese, Hebe presented to Jove ; Armida and 
Rinaldo, by Guercino ; Noah, entering the ark, sup- 
posed to be one of the cartoons of Raffaelle. Here 
is a copy of the burial of (.'hrist, by Titian : the 
original is in the Louvre. La scuola^ the lower 
room, is iiiled with paintings of Tintoretto. The 
Annunciation and Crucifixion"'^ are the most conspi- 
cuous for beauty. In the upper one is another Cru- 
cifixion, by Tintoretto. These two magnificent 
rooms are splendidly adorned with the works of 
Paulo Veronese and Tintoretto, which alone would 
take a month to examine. 

To attempt giving a description in detail, of these 
fine works of art, would be folly. Flowery terms 
might easily be supplied. 1 might speak of brilliant 
colours, glowing tints, undulating lines, flowing dra- 
peries, melting softness, delightful gradation, &c. 
&c. ^ but which would be, for the greater part, un- 
intelligible to the general reader, and sickening to 
the real lovers and judges of art. Indeed, in my 
opinion, very minute descriptions often denote a 
want of feeling for the subject ; for what language 
can describe that which strikes every one with 
speechless rapture, and consequently must be inde- 
scribable ? These must be seen to be enjoyed and 
properly appreciated. 

All the buildings of Venice have much decoration, 
but crowded in too small a space. Palaces are seen 



* See Professor Fuzeli's powerful description of this won- 
derful picture in his lecture on colour. 



232 

enriclxetl with columns of every order, and bedizen- 
ed with every species of ornaments, often reminding 
us of a well decorated twelflh cake. Many of the 
towers and buildings in this cit}^ nr^ out of the per- 
pendicular, owing, no doubt, to the sandy soil. 

When sitting in the square of St. Mark's, sur- 
roundjsd by magnificence, and where every luxury 
can be commanded, to reflect where you are, ia 
what city, the situation of that city, without a por- 
tion of earth properly appertaining to it, greatly ex- 
cites our surprise ; and we feel no small portion of 
pleasure and satisfaction in the ingenuity and perse- 
verance of our species, in opposing and surmounting 
such apparent impossibilities. 

My companions having gone to feed on frogs, 
dressed in a variety of ways, and to taste the Greek 
wines, I took advantage of being alone ; and, in a 
gondola, moving about, I contemplated at leisure and 
with pleasure the change of scene. The views of 
Cagnaletti, that I have so often looked at with de- 
light, I here enjoyed in reality. Occasionally think- 
ing in what part of the world I was, added new inte- 
rest to my enjoyment. I continued to glide about till 
sunset ; its golden rays tipping the turrets, towers, 
and steeples with sparkling lights, and filling with 
radiance the surrounding scene. 

From the top of the square tower or belfry of St. 
Mark's, there is a fine view of the city and sur- 
rounding space. It was from here that Galileo made 
many observations. Although it is generally under- 
stood that there is no tide in the Mediterranean, 



233 

yet, at Venice, there is one which perceptibly falls 
and rises about two feet. 

In Venice, as in other cities which were repub- 
lics, the inhabitants appear to have an air of inde- 
pendence, and a spirit, which not only remind one 
of their former high state, but one may f:mcy that 
they still enjoy it. However, in traversing their 
public squares, where cannons are planted and fo- 
reign soldiers keep guard, this last illusion is dissi- 
pated. 

Here are theatres ; but they are not all open, ex- 
cept during the carnival. One of their most curious 
exhibitions, is the puppet-show. Nothing can be 
more ridiculous ; though, at the same time, nothing 
can be more laughable. It is a most excellent, but 
a very severe satire upon the strutting pigmies of the 
human race. There is a degree of vexation attach- 
ed to this exhibition, where we see our fliults ex- 
hibited in so ludicrous a light, to see " humanity 
imitated so abominably"— though, I must confess, 
with great justice. 

Cleanliness seems to be no part of the Italian's 
creed : every place is defiled ; the churches even 
are not sacred from pollution, and the buildings at- 
tached to them abound in filth. Strong notices are 
put up to prevent this ; and places are appointed 
where the people may deposit their rubbish and dirt, 
which, in time, may have the desired effect. I must 
not omit to mention the Arsenal, and the Manuf^ic- 
tory of Beads, as worthy of notice. 

This city is now degraded to a petty province, 
20* 



234 

which formerly was the umpire of states, and com- 
manded empires ; degraded, not by its people, but 
by its nobles, who, although proffered the assistance 
of the first naval power in the world, and backed 
by Great Britain, a host in its name, with a das- 
tardly spirit, merely for the sake of their Italian 
estates, gave up their country to the enemy. Such 
is the Venetian nobility of the present day ! How 
unlike their ancestors I 



235 



CHAPTER XX. 



VENICE TO MILAN. 



In consequence of a domestic affliction, I was now 
under the necessity of hastening home. Accord- 
ingly I packed up all my collections, from various 
parts of Italy, intending to travel post from Milan to 
England. We crossed to Fusina by night, where 
we slept ; and, at dawn next morning, beheld a 
most lovely appearance over Venice, previously to 
the rising of the sun. The city, with its domes and 
spires, was relieved on a golden back ground, deep- 
ly tinged by a rich crimson ; the sea catching the 
reflection of both, and the whole forming an assem- 
blage of colour such as we had never before beheld. 
This was contrasted with the pale moon which was 
still shining. 

We breakfasted at Padua, where, from the in- 
convenience of changing the carriage at almost 
every post, we left two pictures ; the loss of which 
we did not discover until we had advanced some 
miles. We were obliged to stop, as they were in- 
valuable to the persons to whom they belonged. 
But there being neither horse nor carriage to be 
obtained, I was consequently under the necessity 
of walking back, exposed to the rays of a broil- 
ing sun, accompanied by our honest friend, whp 



236 

Lacf engaged to carry us to Vicenza. I for- 
tunately recovered them, and we proceeded to that 
eity. 

We were told that, having now entered the Aus- 
trian dominions, we had nothing more to fear from 
robbers and banditti ; and we really felt it to be a 
very comfortable assurance, after the jeopardy in 
which we had hitherto travelled. We were inform- 
ed also, that the regulation of the police was equal 
to that of the French ; that the Austrian govern- 
ment was particularly severe against the disturbers 
of the public peace ; and that the people were not 
here under the dominion of priests or of imbecile 
kings, but that there was t)igour in the administration 
of Austria, Only think — let the reader repeat to 
himself again — Vigour and Austria, Indeed the fer- 
tile state of the country through which we now 
passed, and the appearance of the towns-, tended to 
assist this imposition ; and we foolishly supposed our- 
selves and our property parfectly secure under such a 
paternal sway. We certainly had heard that the suite 
ef one of the archdukes had been attacked, robbed, 
and a great part murdered ; but then that was near 
Vienna, many miles from us. We saw, likewise^ 
cannon planted in the squares of all the cities ; but 
that might arise from this very desire to preserve 
the public peace, in keeping the tumultuous in awe ; 
and although in this latter circumstance there was an 
appearance of despotism, yet, no doubt, it was for 
the public good. One thing must be said in favour 
of the Austrian provinces, that tbe oflicers of go- 



237 

venunent were civil and obliging, and that we were 
(Vee from those vexatious impositions which we so 
frequently met with in the pett}^ governments of the 
southern and western parts of Italy. 

Vicenza was the birth place of Palladio ; and, 
en our entry we h*astened to his linest work, the 
Olyriipic theatre, built according to the proportions 
transmitted by Vitruvius, by which the Greek 
theatres were constructed. Its form is similar to 
those we saw at Pompeii ; and, from the association 
of ideas, our feelings on entering into it were de* 
lightful. There are three entrances from the stage 
on to the proscenium, besides the side doors. The 
scenes are ojodels of building, reduced in perspec- 
tive, which being lixed, there can be no change. 
This is somewhat farther an imitation of the ancient 
Greeks, whose tragic representations used to be 
under the porticoes of temples, consequently the 
scene could never be varied ; but a greater interest 
was excited than any change of scene could produce, 
by the spectators becoming, in part, actors ; and 
this 1 believe to be the origin of the introduction of 
choruses in ancient tragedy. The scene is divided 
into three streets ; but the actors could only enter 
by the side doors ; for, as I have before observed, 
the scenic models being reduced in perspective, 
any attempt to advance on the proscenium, from 
either of the other openings, the disproportion of 
the figure to the buildings w^ould render the ap- 
pearance grotesque. At present, there are only 
concerts performed in this theatre. The orchestra 



238 

occupies a small space in front of the proscenium i 
and from thence rows of seats rise in succession, 
taking the form of the theatre, which is a half circle. 
These are surmounted by niches filled with statues. 
The whole, from its proportions and simplicity, is 
elegant and beautiful. 

This city is embellished with many of the works 
of Palludio, the grandest of which is the Pallazzo 
Publico ; or, as it is sometimes signiiicantly called, 
the P<^lace of Public Reason, being where justice is 
administered. The ladies here dress gayly ; and 
have the same rage of driving up and down a narrow 
street, displaying their finery, as in other Italian 
cities. They appear, in many instances, to have 
an aversion to going beyond the Wvalls for air and ex- 
ercise. The country around is so fertile as usually 
lo be called the Garden of Venice. 

From Vicenza to Verona, we coasted the Alps, 
which divide Italy from Austria. The sit«ation of 
Verona is beautiful, at the foot of these mountains, 
divided by the Adige^ The grand attraction in this city 
is its ancient amphithertre, the most perfect known 
until that one discovered in the city of Pompeii From 
the interior of this and the exterior of the Coloseum, 
we can form an idea of what each of them was in 
its most perfect state. With the exception of a 
small portion, the whole of the arcades which sur- 
rounded the building have disappeared, but the 
ranges of seats in the interior are in excellent pre- 
servation. The French, as usual, improved thi<3 
building, by clearing the arena. It held above fortv 



239 

thousand spectators, including those who stood in the 
gallery. It must have been a grand sight to have 
seen such an assemblage. The lower arches or vo- 
mitores on the outside, are now let out to black- 
smiths, farriers, and such like trades, under the 
miserable plea, that the trifling rent they pay may 
contribute to the preservation of the building. The 
disfigurement of this noble pile by these black and 
dirty vocations, is another instance of Italian feeling ; 
while the interior is ornamented with a trumpery 
theatre, as an emblem of their taste. 

From the top of the walls we had a fine view of 
the Alps and the surrounding country, exciting every 
agreeable sensation ; but, from the opposite side, 
looking down upon the city, the sight of cannons and 
soldiers, planted in the open squares, disgusted the 
mind and interrupted the harmony of thought. 

Verona, from its clean appearance, reminded us 
of England. The greater part of these old cities, 
within the walls, are waste, or laid out in gardens 
and vineyards. This city can boast of a host of great 
men, among whose names are those of Vitruvius, 
Pliny, and Cornelius Nepos. 

As we approached Peschiera, the Alps presented 
themselves in bolder forms and beautifully varied. 
Although drawing near to winter, the air, excepting 
at night and in the morning, was nearly as warm as 
usual, the sky as serene, and the sun as brilliant. 
Indeed, we had a succession of fair weather from the 
moment of our departure from England. This, we 
were told, was not uncommon in Italy, where there 



210 

is sometimes no rain for four or five months toge- 
ther. 

The custom of smoking is universal in Italy. This 
we understood not to have been the case previously 
to the arrival of the French ; but such is the in- 
fluence of example in those we admire, that we are 
often apt to copy even their defects, as well as ex- 
cellencies. So it has been with the Italians in the 
habit of smoking ; and they certainly have not the 
plea of coldness of climate to excuse what is at best 
but a solitary amusement, and which the Italians are 
less in want of than any other people, from their 
natural liveliness and gayety. 

We soon had a sight of the Lago di Garda, and at 
Peschiera we embarked on it. To those who are 
fond of lakes, this presents a fine expanse of water 
bounded by the Alps, whose tops majestically rear 
themselves, and appear to usurp the dominion of the 
skies. To an inland inhabitant, who has not had an 
opportunity of comparing it with really grand ob- 
jects, it may appear of prodigious extent ; and may 
have some portion of the sublime, when ruffled by 
tempests, such as are described by Virgil to occur 
at times. But to us, who had just come from the 
bay of Naples, it had more of a pleasing than a grand 
and magnificent character. We enjoyed our sail for 
some hours. From Desenzano there is a good view 
of the lake. It has all the character of being a most 
delightful retreat. 

Being detained much longer than we intended on 
the lake, and there being nothing else particularly 



241 

worthy of notice on our road to Milan, we inquired 
whether there would be any apprehension of danger 
m traveUing all night ; when we were assured by 
the post-master, that we had nothing to fear. Con- 
siderable alacrity was shown in setting us oflf, and 
we arrived at Brescia at ten o'clock at night. Fool- 
ishly confiding in the advice and information we had 
received, and, Englishmen like, thinking that so 
important a thing as travelling all night should be 
discussed and decided upon over a good dinner, we 
exposed our plan of operation to those who after- 
wards benefited by our imprudence. The suggestion 
of our robbery, which perhaps originated with the 
post-master, was no doubt finally fixed on here. 

On our departure from Brescia, we considered it 
proper that two of us should always be on the watch, 
and that the baggage should be chained on in front. 
Unfortunately, on our arrival at Ospitaletto, where 
we changed carriages, with almost an inexcusable 
negligence, we allowed the postillion to overrule this 
resolution, and the baggage was, to all appearance, 
firmly chained on behind. Expecting no treachery 
from these people, we set off, satisfied that the chains 
could not be cut, and for an open attack we were 
prepared. Looking out now and then to see if we 
were followed, we travelled on in supposed se- 
curity. 

After we had advanced about two miles, I thought 

I perceived a diminution of the luggage, and calling 

loudly to the postillion, who found it convenient for 

some time not to hear me, the horses were at last 

21 



242 

stopped. On descending, I found the whole of our 
luggage gone, excepting one portmanteau. With 
only one pistol in my hand I instantly ran back, and 
had hardly gone fifty yards when I found one of those 
missing, which I delivered to my companions. Mak- 
ing sure that I should find the others, I rapidly pur- 
sued my course, but without success, for a mile and 
a half. Arriving at two roads, and not knowing 
which to take, fatigued and almost exhausted with 
my exertions, I was compelled to give up the pur- 
fiuit. Seating myself, therefore, I waited the com- 
ing of the carriage, which I supposed would re- 
turn. The postillion, however, did not hurry him- 
self; and it was near twenty minutes before I 
heard the rattling of the wheels. Joining my com- 
panions, we retraced our steps to Ospitaletto. 

Our arrival there seemed not to be expected, and 
caused much bustle and apparent confusion. When 
we asked for the police, there was much whisper- 
ing : many quickly went to the post-yard and re- 
turned ; and at last they told us that no one could be 
s^en until next morning. The postillion now in- 
formed us, that the country all around was infested 
by robbers ; that there was no possibility, by re- 
ward or any other way, of regaining possession of 
€ur property ; that by the time the police w^ould 
act, every thing would be removed ; and therefore 
that we had much better pursue our journey. Not 
being disposed to put up with our loss so easily, we 
again asked for the police ; but, instead of taking us 
there, they led us to the chief of the military guard, 



243 

wlio obligingly called from his window, that he could 
do nothing for u^; but that, if we wished to pursue 
our journey, and would handsomely reward the sol- 
diers, he would order out an escort. As our only 
remaining chance was to wait, we refused to pro- 
ceed, and returned to the post-yard, where, stretch- 
ing ourselves on some of the carriages, we endea- 
voured to slumber. However, 1 was never less in- 
clined to sleep : my loss v/as serious, inasmuch as 
I had lost all ; and I felt keenly in consequence. 
Observing, in the gloom, the figure of a man passing 
along, then taking his shoes off, ascend a flight of 
wooden steps, I followed him ; but the door at the 
top was instantly closed, and I only heard much 
whispering ; he soon after retired with the same 
care and silence. At six we went to the police. 
The head officeif returned with us and took our de* 
positions ; and when I told him 1 had no doubt that 
we had been robbed by those at the post-house, he 
only asked what reward we would give, ^nd politely 
wished us a good morning. 

That I was right in my supposition as to the rob- 
bers, there is every reason to beheve. Not a per- 
son was seen on the road we passed ; nor, watchful 
as we were, would it have been possible for any one 
io have approached to have loosened the chain. It 
w^as very evidently done by these rascals at the mo- 
ment of setting off; and as the carriage advanced, 
the luggage dropped off, which they watched the 
opportunity of picking up when we had gone a suf- 
ficient distance- Thus at once did I lose all my 



244 

collections in Italy ; medals, antiques, eurioslties, 
drawings, manuscripts, and the whole of my ward- 
robe ; so that, a thousand miles from home, I was 
dependent on others for a change of linen. The 
latter loss, however, was by far the least considera- 
tion : the first town would supply my wants in 
that particular, while that of the others was irre- 
mediable. 

As we advanced to Milan on an excellent road, the 
sight of fields of the most verdant green, and the 
lovely odour of new mowed hay, which scented the 
air delightfully, tended to subdue some part of those 
unpleasant feelings which the loss I had sustained 
might naturally be expected to cause. What a 
Paradise is this earth, if we could but bring our- 
selves to enjoy it as we ought, whose appearance 
only, blunts the edge of sorrow and softens afflic- 
tion ! 



245 



CHAPTER XXI. 



MILAN. 



Milan, raised by Dioclesian to be the seat of 
Roman empire, produced one grand step towards the 
fall of Rome. What Dioclesian and Maximian began, 
Constantine completed, by transferring the imperial 
power to Byzantium, Nothing now remains of the 
ancient grandeur of this city, excepting some co- 
lumns which formerly belonged to the remains of a 
public bath. 

Being on the boundary of Italy, it has been con- 
tinually exposed to the ravages of war : often has 
it fallen beneath barbarous invaders, and as often 
has it risen again in splendour. It has suffered 
much also by intestine discords ; but still it re- 
mains one of the handsomest cities of Italy. 

Under Napoleon it became the capital of the kiag- 
dom of Italy ; and the finishing of the cathedral, 
the Milanese exultingly show you as a monument of 
his taste. This noble pile far exceeds the gaudy 
tinsel of St. Peter's : it pretends to be nothing 
more than what it is, — a Gothic building ; while St. 
Peter's is a Grecian structure built in a Gothic taste. 
What I should hence infer is, that the character of 
a Grecian building being simplicity, much ornament 
21* 



216 

and decoration is inconsistent. On the other hand, 
almost a profusion of ornament is admissible in a 
Gothic structure, but still subservient to breadth of 
mass. 

The cathedral of Milan was foundec^ in 1386, but 
a great part remained unfinished in the sixteenth 
century ; and, among many other celebrated men, 
Pelligrino Tibaldi sent in a design for the fa9ade, 
which was preferred ; but he was soon afterwards 
prevented from going on with the work. This, 
perhaps, was fortunate ; for the mixture of the two 
styles, Grecian and Gothic, would have destroyed 
the beauty of both. Indeed, it is partly seen now 
in front, a small portion of the Grecian having been 
suffered to remain. To the credit of their taste, 
who finished this work, it has been done according 
to its original design. The funds formerly devoted 
for its completion were diverted to another purpose 
by the emperor Joseph, and the edifice was falliu 
rapidly to decay. It was reserved for the late em- 
peror Napoleon to rescue from destruction the pride 
of the Milanese, and give a finish in a few years to 
a building which had been for ages delayed, and 
which, it is probable, but for him, would never have 
been completed. There are about this edifice 
about five thousand statues : the basso relievoes 
which have been added to its base are well designed, 
and executed in good taste ; it is adorned with innu- 
merable niches and numberless spires, each niche 
and spire having its statue. 

The roof is of marble, and from a spire rising 



& 



247 

from the centre, there is a fine extended view over 
the plains of Lombardy. i doubt whether the ex- 
terior is such pure Gothic as the eastern part of 
Westminster Abbey, although it is perhaps more im- 
posing in its appearance* 

In a subterranean chapel is the body of St. Charles 
Borromeo, the patron saint of Milan ; a man of 
most exemplary character. The whole edifice 
is of white marble, and forms an assemblage of 
sculpture and various kinds of workmanship, superiox' 
perhaps to any building in the world. 

What is called the lodge of the emperor, close to 
the arena of Buonaparte, is a simple and elegant 
building. The paintings in imitation of basso re* 
lievoes are admirably well executed. The arena 
or amphitheatre is of greater extent than the Colo- 
seum ; but it has not been completed according to 
the original design. At the time Napoleon was 
crowned king of Italy, a naumachia and other diver- 
sions were exhibited here, the pleasing recollection 
of which the Milanese appear to treasure in their 
memories. Near here commences the grand road 
to the Simplon. A triumphal arch was erecting in 
honour of Buonaparte ; but which, from the change 
of affairs, remains unfinished. It is said that the 
emperor of Austria has it in contemplation to have 
it completed. What is seen of tb's monument is 
grand ; the sculpture is beautifully designed and 
finished, and the basso relievoes, with the various 
architectural ornaments shown in the sheds sur- 
tounding the arch, are in general well executed r 



248 

the subjects are principally events in the life of him 
to whom the arch was dedicated. 

Of the pictures in the Brera, or Palace of the 
Fine Arts, little can be said. The Last Supperj by 
Leonardo da Vinci, in the Dominican convent, is 
much injured ; not, as it has been maliciously as- 
serted, by the French firing at it, but by the damp 
and want of care. 

At the theatre La Scala we enjoyed a high treat. 
The singing was such as might be expected in an 
Itahan theatre, and the ballet was the finest we had 
seen. The French opera is perhaps altogether as 
captivating a sight as can be witnessed ; but the 
space on the stage at this theatre so fully allows for 
the development of scenery, that it imparts perhaps 
Vl grander character. The scenes were magnifi- 
cent ; the dancers were excellent ; and the most 
complex, though tasteful figures, were executed with 
the most admirable precision. 

The theatre, or audience part, has no lights, the 
scene being illumined from the proscenium ; this 
fiaode produces a delightful scenic effect. The ad- 
mission to the pit is only a franc and a half. 

Near every city in Italy that has been immediate- 
ly under the dominion of the French, walks and 
rides, in the most pleasant part of the environs, have 
been established. Such are those of Milan, where 
the inhabitants occasionally assemble. The inns and 
coffee-houses are good ; the coffee brought to you 
is, in general, boiled in milk, and of a fine flavour. 
The streets have a footpath on each side, and rows 



249 

of flat stones in the centre, forming railwtjys for the 
carriage wheels to run on, while the space interven- 
ing is paved as usual for the horses ; thus you are 
free from that jolting which is so unpleasant in the 
streets of Paris and of London. 

There was an appearance of civilization, if I may 
use the term, in Milan, w^hich the more southern 
cities of Italy cannot aspire to. Every thing seemed 
better conducted ; and, from what we learned, there 
was a mildness in the administration of Austria, al- 
though the people bitterly complain of the want of 
trade. From the accounts we had, the difference 
between the French and the Austrian governments 
must be severely felt. Every franc raised by the 
French in the Milanese territory was spent in the 
state, either in what was more immediately useful, 
or in its decoration. Now, on the contrary, all the 
money drawn by the Austrians is laid out in Germa- 
ny, thus impoverishing the Italian province. The 
soldiers also, who used to be clothed with the pro- 
duce of Italy, are now furnished from Austria, con« 
sequently the manufactories of the former country 
decline : this is but a single instance of the system 
which, we understood, is at present generally pur- 
sued. 

The inhabitants of Milan appear intelligent ; and 
dvility is universal. The women have, in genera), 
a pleasing cast of features. I must again observe, 
as flir as my own experience went, that Englishmen 
are treated in the Austrian dominions with greatei^ 
distinction than in any of the other states of Italy. 



250 ^ 

Although, from some mistakes of our ministers, 
the English nation seemed to have lost, to a certain 
degree, that high hold on men's minds it formerly 
possessed ; still it was with feelings of the greatest 
satisfaction I observed, that distinction of virtuous 
integrity, which is considered the characteristic of 
the English, was still acknowledged and respected^ 
as the following instance will illustrate. Being in a 
coffee-house, I was making some trifling purchases 
of a man who afterwards appeared anxious to show 
me something that he had concealed. He then 
whispered to an Italian gentleman sitting near to me, 
who immediately shook his head, and said aloud, 
*' No, he is an Englishman." The fellow made his 
bow and retired. Even had my curiosity been alive, 
the compliment he paid my country would have been 
sufiicient to repress it. 

In no part of Italy do the people appear to be re- 
stricted in their opinions, but express themselves 
freely of persons ; and that abominable name Buo- 
Jiaparte is more often repeated, and with very dif- 
ferent feelings, than in England. The statues and 
resemblances of himself and family are publicly ex- 
hibited : and what is a much stronger instance of 
the feeling in his favour, is, that the whole of the 
money coined and issued at the present moment by 
Austria, still bears his effigy and superscription. 
His name, therefore, being so intimately connected 
with all that relates to Italy, will be some apology to 
the reader (if apology there need) for its being s© 
often repeated in this volume* 



£51 

We were now preparing to rccross the Alps ; and 
this being the last city we should visit, I must, in 
justice to Italy, make one remark. Whatever may 
be the private vices of its inhabitants, of which we 
have read or heard so much ; this at least may be 
said in their favour, that they must be sought for : 
we saw nothing of them. Italy also has this to boast 
of over the more northern nations ; that, without 
having the vice of drunkenness, and without pre- 
tending to be more virtuous than the rest of man- 
kind, delicacy and modesty are not insulted and dis- 
gusted by the scenes of prostitution and debauchery, 
which we too frequently meet with in the streets of 
Paris and London. Vice there has at least the ne- 
gative quality of hiding its head. 



252 



CHAPTER XXII. 



PASSAGE OF THE SIMPLO^. 



Italy ! farewell — thy sun has set, never perhaps 
to rise again. Thy hills, once covered with ver- 
dure, are for the greater part barren. Thy fields 
are wasted ; and nought is seen but a neglected soil, 
and a thinly scattered and degraded population.^ 
Italy, once so lovely, situated in a most favoured 
clime, where nature was ever spontaneously boun- 
teous, has now little to boast but of what she was. — - 
Governments without power, and a lawless people 
with all the appearance of banditti, are now its cha- 
racteristics. 

Although oppressed for some days from the loss I 
had sustained, yet the calm that succeeded was per- 
fectly luxurious. No cares, no anxieties about pro- 
perty to disturb it, my mind was left to the full en- 
joyment of itself. I had lost all I possessed at that 
time ; and I became almost convinced that, in the 
possession of property, so much the object of all 
mankind, there is more trouble than pleasure. I 
considered that a man, with a crust of bread, a 



* This more particularly applies to the other side of the 
ibppeiiines. 



253 

blanket, and a mind free from the shackles of igno- 
rance, bigotry, superstition, and despotism, and 
open at all times to conviction, must be happy ; and 
under this persuasion, I felt a degree of compassion 
for those whom I saw agitated about the safe disposal 
of their several packages. In robbing me, the de- 
predators had relieved me from the cause of much 
vexation ; while I was left in the possession of my 
thoughts, full of delightful images, that will be the 
solace of my future hours, and of which, death 
alone can deprive me. 

The road to the Simplon commences at the tri- 
umphal arch at Milan. It is bordered by walnut 
and chestnut trees, and continues through vineyards 
and plantations of mulberry trees to Sesto. We 
crossed the Tiseno, where Hannibal had his first 
battle with Scipio. The Lago Meggiore, so called 
from being the principal of the three lakes of 
Lombardy, was now before us : — at Arona, the 
grand road to the Alps begins ; it is perfectly hori- 
zontal. The bridges which cross the streams are 
simple in form, and appear capable of everlasting 
duration. 

Soon after passing Arona, the bronze statue of St. 
Charles Borromeo, seventy feet high, is seen on a 
mount to the left. The road coasts the Lago Mag- 
giore, which presents a fine appearance to Fariola. 
We embarked, and visited the Borromean Isles, 
whose situation and appearance are extremely beau- 
tiful. On the bark of a laurel, the trees of which 
species are here very fine, the word Battaille was 
22 



254 

pointed out to ns, as cut by Buonaparte two days be- 
fore the battle of Marengo : it is now scarcely legible. 
He slept that night in the palace of Borromeo. 
These isles are very celebrated ; but one of my 
friends, who had visited those on Loch Lomond, 
thought that the Scottish isles were infinitely supe- 
rior. 

Near Fariola is the quarry whence the marble 
was taken for the building of the cathedral at Milan : 
blocks of an immense size are seen. From Fariola, 
the road, which is hard and smooth, begins to ascend ; 
but so gentle is the rise as scarcely to be percepti- 
ble. It is raised and flanked by posts of granite, and 
mountains ascend on each side. After passing Domo 
d'Osola, we entered the defiles. 

Here begin the grand works of the Simplon, by a 
magnificent bridge reaching from one mountain to 
another. It unites strength and beauty. The first 
gallery is small ; but the rocks hang in terrific forms, 
while the roar of waters assails your ears. We ex- 
amined the manner in which the rocks are blown 
up. Deep holes are bored into them, about the 
size of a musket barrel, into which the powder is 
firmly rammed, and then set fire to ; the explosion is 
great. The labour and expense in making these ex- 
cavations must be prodigious. 

The scenery, as we advanced, increased in gran- 
deur : streams, gushing from on high on every side, 
formed a beautiful sight ; while the roar of the Do- 
veria heightened the effect of this desolate scene. 
it appeared astonishing to find so fine a road in such 



255 

a region. These mountains are composed of mar- 
ble, with which the roads are mended. We observ» 
ed an immense column of a single block, intended for 
the triumphal arch of Napoleon at Milan. It seems 
they are fashioned here, and then conveyed to their 
place of destination. Buonaparte still lives in the 
recollections of these people. Speak of him^ and 
they utter exclamations of love and admiration : say 
that you admire him, and there is no attention too 
great for you. — He certain!}^ most have had extraor- 
dinary talents to have taken such firm hold on men's 
minds. 

When we considered that the passage had hereto- 
fore been made on mules, the excellence of this 
route continually excited our admiration. As we 
advanced, objects the most beautiful arrested our 
sight, ever varied in their character, and producing 
alternate emotions of delight and awe. Rocks, 
broken in their form, are suspended over the road ; 
while streams of water, issuing from above, glide 
down the smooth sides of others, in the similitade of 
strings of pearly necklaces. 

The gallery of Gondo is the- principal excavation 
in this pass ; and by what a scene of magnificent 
grandeur is it surrounded ! standing on a bridge 
which leads to the grotto, thrown over a deep chasm, 
the Doveria from a height behind falls in an im- 
mense body, and tumbling through the arch beneath 
with prodigious force into the deep abyss, disperses 
its foam and spray in every direction. The cavern 
is on the right : and in front are ridges of barren 



256 

rock, sprinkled here and there with a solitary pine, 
ascending to the skies, the clouds hiding their sum- 
mits. The roar of the falling waters combined with 
such scenery was terrific. 

This gallery is above six hundred feet in length, 
cut through the solid rock, which is of granite. 
At the other end the view is fine ; mountains of 
stone, fearful in their height, approach each other ; 
while, in the almost impenetrable gulf below, a tor? 
rent is heard roaring and struggling in the narrow 
space %'ithin which its progress is confined. Every 
thing nere is of tremendous magnitude ; rocks cleft 
asunder, and spread about with trees blasted and 
broken by the lightning's flash. 

From here we mounted still higher, and reached 
the clouds : the torrent that met us fell into a depth 
that we could not penetrate. Still ascending, the 
same scenery continued : 

*' New mountains on new mountains rise, 
And tipt with snow they touch the skies." 

Their height here is so great, and the valley is so 
narrow, that the road is darkened, the sun never 
enlivening it with its genial rays. 

The gallery of Algoby, cut, like the last, through 
the granite, two hundred feet long, and very capa- 
cious, is the next work of art; and, on emerging 
from this, evening closed in upon us. We then be- 
gan to wind up the mountains, and entering the 
clouds, soon saw them beneath us, floating in fanci- 



257 

fill shapes, and continually varying their forms ; 
some joining into greater masses, others dissolving, 
vanished into air, " leaving not a rack behind." 
Lights which appeared like little stars, were seen 
here and there, gleaming through the evening's 
mist from the mountaineers' huts ; and the stars 
themselves, from the height of our situation, we 
fancied appeared larger. The moon soon after 
rose, shedding its silver rays, which were re- 
flected back from the mountain's snowy cliffs ; 
and the whole scene was illumined by a thousand 
sparkling lights. Such was our ascent of the 
Simplon. 

We arrived at this village before we expected ; 
our ascent had been so gradual, and we were so lost 
in the contemplation of the beauties by which we 
were surrounded. The air was keen ; and as 
we walked nearly all the way, our clothes were 
wet with the vapours through whi<:h we had 
passed. 

In this desert, so far fr^om the general habitations 
of men, we had the best supper and the best break- 
fast that we had enjoyed for some time. The ut- 
most civility and the greatest attention were shown. 
German is better understood here than any other 
language. The women have an air of simplicity, 
with extreme good nature, which showed their 
pretty features to the best advantage. 

The mountain of the Simplon received its name 
from Cepio Servilius, a Roman consul, who brought 
his legions as far as here against the Cimbri, a 
22^ 



258 

people of Germany, who threatened Italy on this? 
side. 

On the Simplon is a lake, the water of which 
partly runs into Italy, and partly towards France, 
giving rise to one branch of the Rhone. 

From the window of my chamber nothing was 
seen but the whitened pointed tops of mountains ; 
and, on our departure from the village of the Sim- 
plon, we ascended until we reached these snowy 
regions. Here we clambered up to the glaciers or 
icy ridges, '' those ever during mounds." The cold 
was piercing. Numbers of crosses are seen where 
travellers have perished. 

Continuing our route, the Hospice was consider- 
ably below us, as well as the line of the old path, 
which is still seen, but it can only be compared to a 
sheep track. From the Hospice, they send out in 
the winter dogs, trained for the purpose, with lan- 
terns and baskets of provisions, to seek for the way- 
worn traveller. We descended from hence by many 
windings, on a gentle declivity, passing through other 
galleries, into the beautiful valley of the Rhone, and 
soon after arrived at Brigg. 

We had now passed this grand monument of hu- 
man labour. To finish this work with greater ra- 
pidity, there was consumed by the mines 175,000 
pounds of gunpowder : there were three thousand 
men constantly employed. Fifty bridges have been 
constructed. Indeed it would be hardly possible 
to describe the number of different works which 
have been executed in this route, or the materials 



259 

that have been used. The aqueducts which adorn, 
the walls by which it is sustained and flanked, the 
rocks which have been thrown down or worked 
through, all concur to render it worthy of the genius 
under whose auspices such innumerable difficulties 
were surmounted, and by which an undertaking has 
been accomplished which must excite universal ad- 
miration. 



260 
CHAPTER XXIIl. 

VALLEY OF THE RHONE, GENEVA. 

Brigg is sitaated in a valley, surrounded by moun- 
tains, some of which are covered with snow. The 
Rhone passes through it. Many of the inhabitants 
are much afflicted with goitres ; and their appear- 
ance is truly pitiable. At all the inns an album is 
kept, where each writes his name and his thoughts. 
The observations chiefly relate to the bad and good 
fare at the several places of entertainment, and simi- 
lar objects for which it is certainly worth travelling. 
To these scientific remarks are added many com- 
plaints against various individuals ; but there is a 
rogue of a postmaster at Domo d'Ossala who come» 
in for the greatest share of abuse. The postilhons 
here, as I believe in every other country, are in 
league with some inn, to which they insist upon tak- 
ing you. But the sturdiness of John Bull, upon this 
point, when he has another recommendation, pro- 
duces some curious and laughable contests. On our 
arrival, a party, who had been driven against their 
will to a particular house, were dragging their own 
carriage through the streets, the postillions having 
taken away the horses, and refused their aid. 

In passing the Simplon, we were fortunate in fall- 
ing in with an English colonel and his family, accom- 
panied by an elegant young officer, who were re- 



^ 261 

turning from the Ionian Islands. Yhe many happy 
hours I spent in their company I shall always recol- 
lect with pleasure. Replete with information, libe- 
ral in sentiment, and possessing a fund of anecdote, 
I was so entranced, that when we parted, I might 
have exclaimed. 



<< So sweet they left their voices on my ear, 
That listening stili I seem'd to hear." 



We met with many English families crossing the 
Simplon. who were going to pass the winter in the 
warmer chme of Italy. 

The valley of the Rhone is beautiful, and distin- 
guished for the luxuriancy of its vegetation. Fol- 
lowing the course of the Rhone, we passed the val- 
leys of Sass and St Nicholas, and arrived at Tourte- 
magne, beyond which is a curious waterfall. The 
fortress of Sion is prettily situated ; and Sion is dis- 
tinguished by its cleanliness, and consequently its com- 
fort. We hailed these luxuries with the more pleasure, 
as w^e had some faint recollection of once having en- 
joyed them. The women are universally pretty, and 
their style of dress adds to their interesting appearance. 
The town is picturesque, and the surrounding scene- 
ry of a most pleasing character. The fruit was in 
abundance, dropping to the ground from ripeness : 
and the trees were still so loaded, as to render it 
necessary to support them with props. The owners 
allowed us, for a trifle, to eat of their finest grapes, 



262 

and to fill the pockets of the carriages with chestnuti?, 
walnuts, apples, and pears. 

One of the most beautiful appearances in passing 
the Alps, is to see the clouds resting on the moun- 
tains, and their gradual dispersion as the sun be- 
comes more powerful. Passing Martigny, a large 
body of water rushes from the bottom of a moun- 
tain and forms a river ; and a little further is a 
singularly fine cascade, which fails three hundred 
feet. The valley of the Rhone, although wide, is 
considered the lowest in Switzerland, while the 
mountains by which it is bordered are the highest. 

In all the places we had visited, Nature was ever 
the same, lovely and beneficent. It is man, and man 
only, who- renders one spot or country worse than 
another. The same Paradise is bestowed on the 
civilized and the uncivilized savage, on the rulers 
and on the ruled ; and it is only our own bad pas- 
sions which prevent us enjoying the gifts of Provi- 
dence, and of pouring forth our adorations to the 
Supreme Being, for the beauty and endless variety 
of the numberless gifts his bounty has lavished upon 
us. 

We now parted with our new friends, who intend- 
ed journeying through Switzerland, and soon after 
approached the Lake of Geneva. The Rhone emp- 
ties itself into the lake, and its stream i&seen passing 
through the centre, until it opens itself a new pas- 
sage at Geneva, from whence it flows to Lyons, and 
discharges itself into the Mediterranean near Mar- 
seilles. 



263 

The villages which border the lake are chiefly 
inhabited by fishermen, and their nets line the 
shore. As we passed along, a succession of agree- 
able objects presented themselves : Shelving rocks, 
high mountains, pretty women, picturesque villages, 
a fine expanse of water ; and, on the other side of 
which, were Switzerland's blue hills, interspersed 
with towns, the principal being that of Lausanne. 
Almost satiated with delights, we arrived at Ge- 
neva. 

On entering this city, it seemed like returning to 
one's native country, to hear the French language 
commonly spoken. 

Geneva has been termed the republic of litera- 
ture • from its press has issued much to enlighten 
mankind, and its professors have always been cele- 
brated. It has been distinguished by the excellency 
of its laws, regulations, and establishments of vari- 
ous kinds. It is delightfully situated. The view 
from the Boulevards or promenade is engaging : an 
extensive vale lies before you, surrounded by hills 
richly cultivated, and interspersed with country- 
houses. The Jura mountains are on one side, and 
the Alps, with Mont Blijnc, rearing its white summit 
above the rest, are on the other. 

On the opposite side of the town, the lake is seen 
bounded by the Alps, and the picturesque hilla 
of Switzerland. It has become a favourite resi- 
dence of the English ; and how great was our gra- 
tification on seeing so many of our lovely country- 
women. 



264 

There is a charm about an Englishwoman that rivets 
the thoughts, and inclines one to say, surely of such 
must angels be composed. 

The manufactory of watches, musical boxes, &c. 
is particularly celebrated. Whole days may be 
spent in examining these curiosities. The elegance 
with which they are fashioned, the delicacy of the 
workmanship, the clearness and correctness of the 
notes, the harmony of sound, and the exquisite taste 
with which they are made to execute the most dif- 
ficult tunes, with the most beautiful variations, are 
beyond description. This constitutes one of the 
principal trades of the city. 

The inns are good and the charges reasonable. 
At this late period of the year, strawberries and 
raspberries were seen in the dessert, gathered from 
the neighbouring Alps. They were small in size, 
but of a pleasant flavour. We had experienced rain 
only twice during our journey ; once at Rome, and 
once at Milan ; but the clouds had been gathering 
for some days, and they now discharged their bur- 
then in torrents, which continued almost without 
interruption until our arrival in England. Being 
once more in France, we threw ourselves in a car- 
riage, and enjoyed that luxur}^ which minds free 
from apprehension only can know. We crossed the 
Jura mountains, from the top of which we looked 
down on Geneva and the lake ; the more distant 
Alps spread themselves, and beyond, was Mont 
Blanc, towering its head far above the rest. On the 
Qther side we had an extensive view of the province 



265 

of Jura, We now left all those tremendous scenes 
which we had contemplated with so much delight, 
and with which our imaginations had l^een so filled, 
and entered upon a vast plain. Throwing myself 
back in the carriage, and closing my eyes to prevent 
interruption, tumultuous joy filled my thoughts, the 
nearer I approached home. Alas ! how short-lived 
is bliss! 

We passed in succession Ferney, the retreat of 
Voltaire, where we saw his house ; Genlis, and 
Dijon ; the last is a large, well built, clean, and po- 
pulous city. We saw more persons wearing wooden 
shoes there than in any town we had gone 
through. After passing Dijon, on looking back 
we beheld the snowy top of Mont Blanc above 
the Jura Mountains, being near two hundred 
miles distance. Arriving at Paris, where I left 
my friends to enjoy its pleasures, I hastened to 
London. 



23 



266 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

CONCLUSIVE OBSERVATIONS. 

The want of proper governments is universally 
felt in Italy. To compare it with France, is to 
contrast a state of happiness with that of the damned. 
In the one, all is order, comfort, and security ; in 
the other, all is anarchy. This is owing to the ad- 
mission, as a general principle, of what is called 
legitimacy. The folly of this system as a universal 
one, is here fully exemplified, and lamentable are 
its effects. To say that any state or nation belongs 
to a particular family, is on the very face of it ab-- 
surd ; and, indeed, in the present day, needs only 
to be mentioned to be laughed at. But that England, 
which has always been an example of good sense and 
liberality, should patronise this system, seems tp 
astonish the world. 

The great and real objects of governments should 
be the safety and happiness of the people. It is for 
this that governments are created. It is for this 
pledge of security, that millions are paid for their 
support ; and if the object of their institution be not 
attained, the people on a principle of right, the 
contract being broken, may refuse further contri- 
bution, until another more efficient is constituted. 
This is the first and Aindamental law, abstractedly 



267 

considered, of the relationship between the go- 
vernors and the governed ; and it is upon this broad 
basis, that all differences between them should be 
settled. 

In Great Britain, in France, and in America, this 
is acted upon ; but in Italy, the governments think 
but of the emoluments of office, without making that 
return which the people naturally and in justice ex- 
pect. Hence arise the complaints that are daily 
made, and the desire expressed, for the return of 
that power, which, however much it might ex- 
act for itself, gave protection to persons and pro- 
perty. 

The French, whatever may be said to the con- 
trary, are universally looked up to by the Italians, 
and their government constantly eulogized and re- 
gretted. The only thing they seem to have been 
averse to, was the conscription. At present, the 
authority is in the hands of weak persons, incapa- 
ble of much exertion : satisfied with the incomes 
they draw, they are unwilling, or possibly unable, 
to wield the power vv^ith which they are intrusted, 
even to their own real advantage. The conse- 
quence is, that their authority is defied in the most 
unequivocal manner, and the best part of the com- 
munity is weighed down by excessive taxation. The 
soldiers cannot be depended upon ; and as a further 
instance of this, the Pope has lately lost three 
pieces of cannon, in fighting against the brigands ; 
and the robbery of Lieutenant-Colonel Herrie^, with 
the murder of the postillion, are only additional 



268 

proofs of the weakness and inefficacy of the existing 
governments. Indeed, there are few, if any go- 
vernments of the present day, that appear capable 
of meeting the improved intellect of the people. 
Wherever we look now, the contest appears to be 
between the governed and their governors ; between 
improvement of understanding, and common-place 
ability ; between liberality of feeling, and narrow- 
ness of mind ; between the enlightened state of pub- 
lic thinking, and the blindness of superstition and 
bigotry. 

The French, according to all accounts, had much 
improved Italy. Order and security are described 
as having been perfectly established. The licentious 
were not only restrained, but subdued. Assas- 
sination, so frequent before tbey arrived, seldom, 
and at last never, occurred. Improvements were 
daily made, not only in the general state of society, 
but in the private habits of the people. The roads 
were repaired, or new ones made ; thus accelerat- 
ing the frequency of communication with all parts of 
the country. The police was excellently well re- 
gulated, affording security to the traveller, as well 
as to the inhabitants. With respect to the brigands, 
the French used to send cavalry to scour the coun- 
try, and caused numbers to patrole the roads, by 
which they soon cleared the provinces of those de- 
predators. Instead of which, at the present mo- 
ment, there are only some foot soldiers stationed at 
every eight or ten miles distance, whose business 
appears to be to receive information of robberies 



269 

after they have been committed, and to remove the 
dead bodies of those who are assassinated. The 
horses which may happen to be killed are left 
to be devoured by the. wolves and birds, their 
mangled remains offending the sight of all who 
pass. 

However, one of these improvements, the go- 
vernments who have succeeded the French have 
had the good sense to continue, the lighting of the 
streets with reflecting-lamps. These give a much 
better light than London could boast of before the 
introduction of the gas. We may easily conceive, 
that nothing could be more miserable than the state 
of the streets before the arrival of the French ; 
they then depended entirely for their light upon the 
small lamps or tapers, which the piety of individuals 
placed before the pictures or the statues of the Vir- 
gin ; looking, according to Dante's description, like 
so many " souls glimmering in hell," and serving only 
to make the " darkness more visible." But many other 
improvements, relating to the protection and secu- 
rity of the people, and such as contribute to their 
comfort and happiness, seem to be very little re- 
garded. 

We are indebted to the French for almost all the 
excavations and clearing away of the rubbish, which 
had accumulated round some of the finest monu- 
ments of Roman antiquity ; though their successors 
have modestly taken the credit to themselves, and 
had their names inscribed in large letters as the exe- 
cutors of those excellent improvements. 
23^ 



270 

During our stay in Italy, we were often compelled 
to remain at night in su<:h places, that it appeared 
very uncertain whether, if we once lay down, we 
should ever rise again. But, as sleep was absolutely 
necessary, and considering that our fate was in the 
hands of an all-directing Power, I usually laid myself 
down in perfect confidence, and slept soundly and 
tranquilly. 

Notwithstanding, however, all these defects, 
which I have thus freely enumerated, the Italians 
have undoubtedly fine qualities^ and possess those 
essential requisites, intelligence and enterprise, 
which would make them a great nation, if it were 
not for the wretchedness of their governments ► 
But, in consequence of these qualities not being di- 
rected to proper objects, the genius of the country 
vents itself in predatory exploits and acts of barba- 
rism, or sinks into the iadifference of sloth. 

The French are a nation that we have been too 
much in the habit of vilifying, because they have 
been termed our natural enemies. But what should 
make them so ? — and, if they are, what has caused 
it ? — not any actual enmity or hostility arising from, 
the mass of the people, but the pride, ambition, and 
bad passions of the rulers of each country^ who, to 
further their own purposes, have promoted dissen- 
tion and animosity. However, a time will assuredly 
come, when there will not be found four fools,, 
to follow another fool ; whether his name be empe- 
ror, king, or by whatever title he may be designated^ 
to war upon their fellow creatures. 



271 

Many, I have no doubt, taking advantage of this 
feeling of prejudice against the French, have fed it 
by absurd relations, with the sinister end of promot- 
ing the sale of their publications. They have de- 
scribed the French as being without heart, without 
feeling ; as if they were the only persons w^ho might 
be thus characterized. From my own experience, 
I have found that they have heart, feeling, and sim- 
pathy. In proof of this, I will relate one instance 
of the many I could give of their kindness and good- 
ness of heart. I may be pardoned for mentioning, that 
I had no other acquaintance in Paris, but from letters 
of introduction, when I first visited it, which led me 
into^iffepeiit circles. But it was no sooner known, on 
my return from Italy, that I had been robbed, than 
I had offers of money to any amount made me, with 
a fervour and cordiality truly English. Let this be an 
answer to the general calumnies heaped upon that 
nation. 

There is a characteristic vivacity in the French, 
which is even enviable, inasmuch, as it enables them 
to sustain with good humour existing circumstances, 
whatever they may be. I doubt much, from what 
we have lately seen, whether they can be charged 
with that mutability of temper, which has been en- 
deavoured to be established against them. There 
are evidently two parties in France, but one is far 
greater than the other ; the neutrals, which will be 
found in all states, fill up the mass. A French ser- 
vant that I had in Paris, may be an example of the 
latter, who occasionally sung songs in favour of N-a- 



272 

poleon. One day, when Louis was passing to re- 
view the troops, she bawled out most lustily, Five 
le Rot ! and when I asked her, how she came to 
change her sentiments, and whether she would not 
have called Vive PEmpereur ! if it had been Buona- 
parte ; she said, '' O/i, owz, ga in' est egal.'^ 

I have before had occasion to speak of the supe- 
riority of the lower classes in France ; and I must 
not omit to add, that the French servants are distin- 
guished by their fidelity, honesty, and good humour ; 
any thing like sulkiness is never seen, and it would 
be an insult to the whole nation to speak of their 
sobriety. 

The politeness of the French may be said to be 
carried at times " to excess ;" but, I imagine, it is 
far better that it should be so, than to experience 
that brutal behaviour which is often exhibited in our 
own country. 

The driver of our cabriolet wishing to know the 
direction to a place, addressed a mason, with the 
accustomed appellation of monsieur, who had a hod 
on his shoulder, and a trowel in his hand ; taking 
off his cocked hat at the same time, as he bent his 
body forward. The mason immediately putting his 
trowel into his left hand, took off his tremendous 
hat, a match for our coachman's, and in the politest 
terms answered his question ; when, mutually 
bowing with many comphments, they wished each 
other a good morning. 

With another anecdote I shall hasten to conclude. 
Some English gentlemen, who, on their first visit, 



273 

were set down in Paris early one morning, went into 
a barber's to get rid of their beards ; when the style 
in which the man set about it, and the quickness with 
which he despatched the operation, were something 
similar to what Matthews exhibits on our stage — Un, 
deux, trois, quatre : c^est finit. Two of them got 
through it very well ; but the third, (who was noted 
for the extreme nicety of his appearance,) whether 
the sight had made him nervous, and that he moved 
or shrunk from the razor, the first stroke cut a 
large gash on his upper lip. His fury, at this ra- 
vage committed upon his beauty, may be supposed 
to have been extreme ; and the scene betweea him 
and the barber was in the highest degree ludicrous. 

To add to his mortification, he was obliged to wear, 
all the time he was in Paris, an immense piece 
of sticking-plaster, which nearly covered the whole 
of his lip. 

After having seen all the delights of France and 
Italy, England is only still dearer to an Englishman's 
heart. The country that has produced a Bacon, a 
Shakspeare, a Milton, a Newton, and a Locke ; that 
was the birth place of Reynolds, and which now 
possesses a Davy, and a constellation of the bright- 
est stars in art and science, must be ever dear to its 
citizens. Although there may be errors, the excel- 
lence of its laws and establishments are the envy of 
the world. Let those who have a desire to forsake 
their country know, that England is the only place 
in which an Englishman can reside. We have nei- 
ther the rude and violent democracy of America, 



274 

nor the insolence of the aristocracy of the continent. 
England still remains the boast of Britons, whose 
greatest pride should be the being so, and in being 
born in this enlightened age. 

But hush ! let this be whispered among ourselves ; 
for if it comes to the ears of ministers, they will pre- 
sume upon it, and increase our taxation. 



275 



GENERAL DIRECTIONS 



IX 



TRAVELLING. 



The traveller will find diligences to convey him 
to all parts of France ; and if he crosses Mont Cenis 
to Italy, he can proceed by them from Lyons to 
Turin, and from thence to Milan or Genoa. Since 
the dismemberment of Geneva from France, the 
same facihty of communication has been somewhat 
interrupted. He will be conveyed to Dole in a com- 
fortable carriage, but from thence to Geneva he will 
not have to boast of the convenience, although he 
may be booked at Paris for that city. The best 
place in Paris for engaging places in the diligences 
to any part of France, is at the Hotel des Messageries, 
rue Notre Dame des Victoires. 

With respect to the other route to Italy from 
Geneva, you can cross the Simplon as far as Domo 
d'Osola, whence you can proceed to Milan by the 
post or courier. From Milan to Venice there is also 
a diligence ; and there ends the public conveyances 
of that kind in Italy. 



276 



MODES OF TRAVELLING IN ITALY. 

There are three modes of travelling in Italy : — 
With the courier who conveys the letters ; by post, 
in which case it is necessary to have a carriage of 
your own ; or, by the Vetturini. The first is the 
best for one or two individuals, especially if expe- 
dition be their object ; while, in the present state 
of Italy, it is the safest mode. The second is plea- 
sant for a party, who may desire to make excur- 
sions as they pass along ; but it is necessary that 
one of them should be well acquainted with the 
Italian language,* otherwise there will be no end 
to the impositions and exactions. The third mode 
is the best for those who have most time and least 
money, whether as it regards an individual or a 
party- 



WITH THE COURIER. 

The application to travel with the courier should 
invariably be made at the post-office, where the 



* They often brought the tarif in support of some exorbitant 
demand, supposing that neither of us understood Italian, 
and would point oat a passage, and even pretend to tran»^ 
late it, though we saw that it related to another subject. 



277 

charges may be generally ascertained. But if there 
should be more than one person, then there is an 
opportunity of making a bargain with the courier ; 
though perhaps the interposition of an Italian friend, 
who is aware of their finesse, will be necessary to 
ensure success. The charges are in general high, 
but they include all demands from the guards and 
post-boys ; at least that should be perfectly under- 
stood at the time. If this be omitted in the written 
agreement, the expense will be increased by one 
half ; and even then these insatiate cormorants will 
be clamorous for more. All donations to the soldiers 
and postillions should be resisted from the first, and 
then you are never troubled during the rest of the 
journey ; for they always inform each other whom 
they have to contend with ; and, as I before ob- 
served, the English are more liable to these attacks 
than any other nation. 



POSTING. 

If a party determine to travel post, the best 
way is to purchase a new carriage at Paris ; and, 
on their arrival in Italy, to buy the latest post 
guide, in which will be found the regular charges 
for horses and postiUions, the distance of the posts, 
^c. 



278 



VETTURINL 

The Vetturini are a class of men who will engage 
to convey you to any distance, and to accomplish it 
in a certain time. They seldom go more than thirty 
miles a day, and always sleep on the road. An 
agreement may be made with them to stop one, two, 
or more days at any particular place in the route. 
They will likewise engage to give you a supper and 
bed each night, which is by far the best plan, as it 
relieves you from much trouble, and at least limits 
extortion to one person, instead of extending it to a 
host. Besides, there is an opportunity of calculat- 
ing before the bargain is concluded. In all the great 
cities, there are always numbers of these persons 
ready to offer themselves ; and from them you may 
obtain some idea as to the average charge to any 
particular place. With the exception (which how- 
ever is not peculiar to themselves) that they will 
endeavour to get as much as they can, they are, in 
general, an honest, civil, and obliging class. But, 
to secure their good behaviour, it is necessary al- 
ways to have a written agreement, and never to pay 
more than half the money until you have safely ar- 
rived at the place of your destination. On no aC' 
count whatever swerve from this rule. Should any 
dispute arise at any time, ask to be conducted to the 
police, although, if it be not in a principal city, there 
is but little hope of redress. 



279 

Those who wish to have the most pleasing idea of 
Italy, should enter either from Geneva by Milan, 
which is also the shortest route ; or, if by Mont 
Cenis, they should go from Turin or Genoa to Par- 
ma ; because, in approaching by those roads to 
Rome, they will see the best parts of the country 
first, and gradually be introduced to its deserts, and 
become inured to its filth. 



MONEY. 

The circulating currency is different in every 
state ; and you will be almost bewildered with their 
numbers, divisions, and designations. The Pied- 
montese varies from the Genoese, and the last from 
every other. The coins of Tuscany are different 
from the Roman, and each again differs from 
the Neapolitan. The Venetian coins, and those 
of the kingdom of Italy, approach nearer to the 
French. 

The best way will be to count by francs or livres 
on this side the Appenines, which are worth 10c?. 
English ; and on the other side, by paoli, worth 
about 6c?. 

In Tuscany they count by sequins, worth twenty 
paoli. In the Roman states, by crowns, worth ten 
paoli. In Naples they count by cariini, worth 

The French manner of counting by decimals 
guides nearly all the rest. 



280 



TUSCANY. 



Francs Sous English 
Sequin — 20 Paoli 10 — Bs. 4d. 



ROME. 



Silver 






Crown — 10 Paoli 5 


«^ 


4 2 


Paoli — 10 Baiocchi — 


10 


— 5 


Half do. — 6 Ditto — 


5 


- ^ 



NAPLES. 

Ducat — 10 Carlini — — 3 9 

Carlini — 10 Grani — — — 4 

Half do. — 5 Ditto _ _ _ 2 



The Spanish crown, equal in value to the Roman 
crown, will pass any where. The principal gold 
coins are the old louis d'or, worth twenty-four 
francs, or one pound sterling ; and the single and 
double Napoleons, of twenty and forty francs each. 

In advancing into Italy your money seems to in- 
crease in value ; but, in returning, it is as well not 
to carry the coin of one state into another, as you 
will suffer a loss. The best way for every one 
is, to deposit a certain sum in the hands of 



281 

Messrs. Hammersley, and take from them letters of 
credit. 

LUGGAGE. 

I need hardly say that the less luggage a person 
takes the better ; and indeed travellers may be as- 
sured, that if they can put what they want in a sac- 
de-nuit, they will save themselves infinite vexation, 
much delay, and great expense. For if they have 
the most trifling box, they will subject themselves to 
be continually stopped, and there will be no end to 
the impositions practised. A complete suit of nankeen, 
or some similar kind of dress, with a cap of the same, 
I should recommend to every traveller in Italy, par- 
ticularly in summer, made loose, but secured in 
some way within the shoes, so as to prevent the fleas 
getting to the legs. 

HOTELS. 

When you are going to remain long in a place, 
always take private lodgings ; but the following is a 
list of good hotels : 

Lyons ; Hotel du Pare, Place de Villa. 
Genoa ; Croix de Malte. 
Leghorn ; Royal or British Oak. 

Naples ; Crocelli, St. Luzia. ^^ 

Bologna ; Albergo Reale. 

Venice ; Ecu de France, formerly Aquila d Oro. 

Milan ; Albergo Italian. 

Geneva ; Ecu de France. 

Paris : Hotel de Conti, Rue du Bouloi. 



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